Monkee's Pearl
by Snarkland78
Summary: What happens when House is unexpectedly reunited with someone who had probably changed the course of his life, forever?
1. MP Prologue

**PROLOGUE…**

He was a logical, passionate man, an enigma unto himself. His true love was a whiteboard full of a medical mystery. It was the only girl that never broke his heart or wounded his body. It was just as real as a…well, normal…relationship: he could touch the whiteboard, talk to it. He could manipulate it, if only up to a point.

It was life.

It was…just…_it_.

To this man, a whiteboard full of medical mystery was all that was beautiful and right in the world: it was love and blue skies and good jazz and ice cold beer with greasy pizza and loud monster trucks.

It was the reason he still got up in the morning and put on his jeans and popped Vicodin and limped into this realm of meaning.

He was absolutely convinced this analytical world of medicine, where A + B _should_ always equal C, was life at its very best. That is, unless A + B didn't equal C because a little bit of D, E, F or G suddenly sprung up. Then it became exciting; it was all just gravy.

But one thing he could never justify (or tolerate) was unadulterated, unequivocal, absolute happiness based entirely out of the illogical. He couldn't understand why a fat, frolicking Labrador puppy was simply the cutest thing ever or laughter at the completely inane was cherished or moonlight, beach-front picnics where lovers fed each other strawberries and drank champagne was the most romantic thing. It was stupid; it served no purpose. _So why waste my time?_

Not only did this attitude alienate the people around him, it's was also a sedative to the other 'man', his other 'self' lying dormant in a sleep of repression, laid buried beneath the medical books and song sheets in his mind. At the slightest hint of stirring, of waking, of knowing this other man was coming out of hibernation, the doctor took over and sought to bury him in more and more logic. The man represented the 'unnecessary'. Only sissies needed emotion; _only those too stupid to solve the puzzle used tears to get what they want. If only they hadn't fcked up and listened to lullabies and musicals and walked in the rain they'd be just like me: miserable but not delusional._

But in this sleeping self within the man were his feelings. Here, buried underneath his logic, lies a life lulled into a dull, monotonous hum that didn't hurt like a man who lets his feelings run rampant. He just knew if his feelings were tightly controlled his life wouldn't hurt quite so much or be quite so complicated.

In short, Dr. Gregory House was a 'fraidy cat. He was afraid to feel so he had only half a life. He was truly only half a man. While, in and of itself, this is a sad situation, it doesn't compare to the fact that there was a time he felt, a time he truly knew what it was like to let himself go and just…be. It wasn't with Stacy, the woman he did love years before. With Stacy he was still only half a man.

That one time he did live completely was as buried…for the most part…as his feeling self. It kept the weights on the man, chained underneath the logic and, for the most part, he did an impressive job of keeping it…mostly…out of sight, out of mind. And he reasoned if he could keep it as bottled up as possible it would never harm him and he'd never have to deal with it.

But, in the meantime, he wasn't thinking about that. He was comfortable in his position and hadn't thought about that time for while. He'd actually tried to reason it away, which helped him momentarily forget that time…

It was interesting how life always has a way of biting you in the ss sometimes…

*****

"I've got to make the call…I've got to make the call." She muttered as she paced her office, eyeing her phone with every pass. She knew she had to; she knew if she didn't make that call she'd hear about it for years afterwards. _**Why didn't you call me? You were in town and you didn't tell me? How's that supposed to make me feel?**_

And she wanted to, she really did. She wanted to tell her best friend that she was going to be in town…but it was bigger than that. So very much bigger. It meant the possibility of reliving…_that_…**it**…HIM…again and she didn't need that. She'd managed to move along quite nicely without anyone knowing about it.

It wasn't like she didn't have reminders of that time. Everywhere she turned she'd seen it, felt it, even tasted it. And these senses just heightened whatever remembrance was there…

Take the last week, when she made a rare trip to a department store some hundred miles away. Where she hailed from, department stores were few and far between so she took time to relish her experience. As she walked through the men's fragrance department, a musky, rough masculine aroma raced through her nostrils. She'd never smelt it before and it invaded her taste buds. She was instantly transported to that one day…to _it_…so very long ago. _It_ had been a brief time filled with musky, hot masculine hazy cloudiness and confusion. Granted, it had always been a deliciously wrong moment but this millionth remembrance was different than all the rest. The force had been so great, so powerful, so hypnotizing that her very core, the one that hadn't been explored by another man since her husband died five years before, tingled, throbbed, and gasped.

She couldn't catch her breath as memories of someone long ago invaded her brain like a black-and-white projector. Each flicker of each image stopped her heart and quickened her breath.

It was one of the scariest experiences she'd ever had because it was so fierce, so overpowering…so out of nowhere…that the experience still lingered even as she paced that room, days later. Even now it was dictating what she needed to do when she didn't want it to. She wanted to be free to make the call, to live her life as if what happened never happened before.

For fifteen minutes she couldn't make a decision. Suddenly she stopped, took a deep breath and opened her cell phone, thereby resolving to put an end to the nonsense underfoot. Punching in the long-distance number, she sighed and closed her eyes, listening to the ringing on the other end…

*****

"Dr. Lisa Cuddy."

Dr. Leah Rogan and Dr. Lisa Cuddy had been best friends, growing up in Chicago. Leah, older than Lisa by 5 years, had been a smart Irish-Polish beauty who, at 12, had taken the slightly awkward Jewish 7-year-old under her wing. Their friendship had been instantaneous and blossomed, even from their young ages. Leah soon became Lisa's mentor; she'd realized from the first that it was somehow her responsibility to nurture the younger girl and to watch out for her because Leah had seen what Lisa could do. Lisa was truly on the cusp of greatness. Both had been toughened by their childhood, thereby giving both girls the will they needed when they plunged headfirst into med school. It had started as a childhood dream for Leah, as far back as she could remember, which quickly fostered the small kindling that Lisa, at 12, had to become a medical student herself.

Cuddy watched as Leah grew up, so determined to be a doctor. She later followed Leah to Michigan, where they had became roommates when Cuddy was a freshman and Leah had started medical school after having graduated with her bachelors in history. But it was when Leah first met Jake Rogan that she began drifting from Lisa, moving on with her life without the younger woman, and out of the apartment they shared after only a year. That was another regret of Leah's.

_**You can do this. Just do it girl. **_"Hey Lise." (pronounced 'Lease') "How are ya?"

Cuddy smiled. It was good to hear her friend's voice, even if their verbal conversations were dreadfully few and far between. Nowadays they'd been stuck to emailing each other. "Well, well, well! Dr. Leah Rogan, as I live and breathe! How are you? How's Wyoming? Why haven't you called sooner?"

Leah laughed guiltily. _**See? Not so bad…**_ "We're both fine, but Wyoming is huge, quiet and the most beautiful piece of country you'll ever see. Yeah, sorry about the whole 'not calling you sooner' thing. I guess my work consumes me." _**Are you sure??**_ Leah paused. _**Here goes nothing…**_ "Listen, I'm coming to Princeton for that Nephrology convention. Can we swing by, grab a bite to eat, catch up on old times?"

" 'We'? Who's 'we'?" Cuddy gasped. "Leah! Have you been seeing someone??"

PAUSE. _**Not hardly.**_ "Not since Jake."

"Leah! Jake died five years ago. You never mention men in our emails; you always avoid the subject. Have you even tried to date??"

"I figured I make a better looking widow than a middle-aged fish swimming in piranha-infested dating waters. How often do you find those?"

"I know you and Jake's marriage lasted a long time…"

"…fifteen years…"

"…but you're still so young. You're only 45. You need to get out there."

"How's your love life?"

"Must you ask?"

Leah's laughter from the other end of the country warmed Leah's heart. _**Oh, it had been too long.**_ She began relaxing; Leah hadn't realized until she talked to Lisa how much she really did miss her. "I'm bringing Jaymie and Billy. My daughter's never been east of the Mississippi and I thought it would be a good getaway for the lovebirds."

"How long have they been married?"

"Four years. It's hard to believe she's already 27!! Time really flies."

"Yes it does." Cuddy chuckled. "Listen, I'd love to have you folks stay with me. I have plenty of room and it's been ages since we've gotten together in person. What do you say?"

"Well, we're actually staying two weeks."

"Can the kids be gone that long?"

"Billy's ranch is the most successful in the county. He's got a trusted crew who've been pushing him to spend some fun time away. They've been looking forward to coming."

"Well, that's great! When are you coming?"

"Friday. Is that too short of notice?"

Cuddy shook her head as she studied her calendar. "Nope. I'm glad you called me on Monday instead of Thursday."

"I don't do that; you do."

"I've got this big, important job. I live by my Day-Runner now."

Leah chuckled. "Yeah, yeah. We'll see. Ok, I'll call you Thursday with more details." PAUSE. "Lise, thank you so much for this. I've missed our girl talks."

"Me too. Talk to you later??"

"Bye."

Leah flipped the phone closed, laid it against her forehead and closed her eyes. Instantly she knew the next two weeks would go down in infamy. There was no way to avoid the issue now; Leah hadn't been unaware of where or what her 'issue' was doing. After all, her best friend was the issue's boss.

*****


	2. MP Chapter 1

**CHAPTER 1**

"Over there!!" Dr. Leah Rogan nudged her adopted daughter, Jaymie Speights. Jaymie grinned, rolling Leah's wheeled suitcase behind her. Bringing up the rear was Jaymie's husband Billy, a tall, handsome man with a large cowboy hat and a grin that had made many a woman drop her Wranglers. It was late morning on Friday, and they'd just stepped off the plane in Princeton.

When Jayme met Billy Speights he'd been the new boy in town, having arrived in Cheyenne the second week of their freshman year in high school. He was that dangerous one, that one boy everyone knew had, or could get, just about any and every girl he wanted…all except Jaymie that was. And it was this challenge that first drew Billy to Jaymie, until he had no choice but to be completely smitten. All throughout their high school years, he pursued her, time to time overly but mostly covertly. Of course, she was the clueless one in the friendship and she treated him like the friend she'd always considered him as, ignoring his advances while he helped her through Geometry and Calculus. Of course, she was foolish to ignore the great set of brains that looked amazing in Wranglers and smelt like sex on a stick. The devastatingly alarming and arresting green eyes hadn't hurt either.

After graduation, Billy followed her to the University of Wyoming, where she'd majored in Literature and Creative Writing and he majored in Agriculture Business Management. Somewhere between their first and second semesters of their sophomore years, Jaymie finally woke up to the man who never gave up on her. So, after graduation, Jaymie landed a prime job as a telecommuting editor for a small publisher in Washington State and they settled back in Cheyenne and married shortly thereafter, with Billy taking over his family's ranch.

Dr. Leah Rogan had been Jaymie's late mother's best friend. Helen, a then single mother of a tow-headed two-year-old bundle of cuteness, charm and wit named Jaymie, was the first person Leah met as she and her fiancée Jacob Kyle Rogan rolled into his hometown. Helen owned the only filling station leading into the city limits so it was hard to miss her.

Leah had met her husband, Jacob Kyle Rogan, between the first and second semesters of medical school. He'd been quite the culture-shock for her: she was a big city girl from Chicago and he was a cowboy from the sparse regions of Wyoming. Truth was, at the time Leah and Jake met, she was trying to get away from the men she was usually attracted to. Jake was nothing like her 'type' and ESPECIALLY nothing like that one-night stand ('Mistake', as she'd usually refer to it to herself as no one else knew about it) she'd caught herself in just weeks before they'd met. Before either knew it, Jake and Leah were head over heels in love, and when both finished medical school (she as a Nephrologist; he was a large-animal Veterinarian) she was ready to marry him and follow him wherever he went.

When Jaymie was 9, Helen died of lung cancer and Leah and Jake took Jaymie into their home and then legally adopted her. Since Leah had been unable to have children, Jaymie was the child they could never have. Jaymie was certainly enough, as they helped her through the tough times of high school and college. In return, Jaymie, and later Billy, became Leah's constant rock, her companion through the dark times of despair and despondency after Jake's sudden death. Without Jaymie, Leah could safely say she would've died from a broken heart.

But that was something Leah didn't think about as she ran to her old friend Dr. Lisa Cuddy, awkwardly laden down with bags and a pillow. When Leah got to where Lisa stood, she dropped all her things and squealed like a twelve-year-old at a Hannah Montana concert. "LISE!!" The women giggled as they clung to the other, the years of not seeing one another fading away. It was as if the last time they saw each other had been the day before. "Oh Lise!!" Leah's voice was muffled. "It's SOOOO good to SEE YOU!!"

"Leah!!" Cuddy stepped out of her arms (quite a feat considering how tightly Leah held on to her) and held her out at arm's length. "Look at you! You look incredible!" She reached up and touched the long waves of Leah's mahogany-brown hair, shiny, silky and streaked with lighter brown highlights. Cuddy's eyes roamed Leah's trim and curvy figure, well endowed in all the right places. Leah was the envy of many women but never knew it. Leah was just that way. "You don't look a day over 30!!" And Cuddy was right: Leah was a very natural, down-to-earth beauty who knew how to take care of herself.

"So do you!! You look so smart in your business suit, and I look like a country bumpkin with my Wranglers and t-shirt."

Cuddy waved her away. "Stop that! You look absolutely gorgeous! Time has been much kinder on you than on me."

Leah smiled then looked behind her happy at how clearly happy Jaymie and Billy were to finally meet 'Auntie Lise', as Jaymie liked to call her. "Lise, this is Jaymie." She grabbed the younger girl's hand and dragged her over. "And this handsome stud…" Billy reddened at the compliment; for as gorgeous as the man was, he had an overflow of good manners so any such compliment bothered him. Leah grinned and grabbed his hand, pulling him to stand beside her. "…is Billy."

Cuddy couldn't say a word as Jaymie had grabbed her, squealing as she hugged the woman who had played a very important role in Leah's life. "It's soooo niiice to meeeeet yooou!" Jaymie's voice was a muffled sing-song cadence, knocking any sort of reaction from Cuddy's lips.

When the introductions were done, Cuddy wrapped her hand around Leah's upper arm. "I'm…um…" Cuddy looked uncomfortable. Leah, not wanting the moment to be spoiled, said, "No, you don't have to say anything. Whatever you're gonna say sounds serious and I don't want anything serious between us. It's gotta be silly, girly stuff." She grinned and watched Cuddy.

"No, I mean…" Cuddy sighed. "…I mean, I didn't make it to Jake's funeral."

Leah looked at Cuddy solemnly. "I know. And really, it's ok."

She shook her head. "No it isn't. You needed me then more than anything and I couldn't come through. If I had I would've got to meet Jaymie and Billy and this wouldn't be so awkward." She turned to the young couple. "And I missed your wedding! I feel like such a bad friend!"

Leah smiled and threw her arms around her friend. "Honey, whatever I felt about you being absent I forgave a long time ago. I know you and I know you'd never deliberately miss anything important. Besides, we're here now and I'm not about to squabble over the past. We need to live now, for the moment." _**Yeah, why didn't I know that when I almost had an orgasm passing the Ralph Lauren fragrance counter?? Talk about not living in the past…**_

"She says that now…" Jaymie points to her adoptive mother, "…but she hasn't dated anyone since Daddy died. She doesn't know the meaning of the words 'live for the moment'. She couldn't tell you what 'Carpe diem' meant to save her life." _**Ok, that sounds like me…**_

"Hey now, I am standing right here." Leah rolled her eyes.

Cuddy, feeling better now that she got that off her chest, grabbed her friend's arm and pulled her towards the exit. "Come on folks; let's get you guys settled in. I have your rooms made up…"

"Um, Auntie Lise?" Cuddy smiled at this endearment; it made her feel a part of this family, something Cuddy knew she desperately needed. "Um, Billy and I booked a hotel room. We…we wanted to spend time alone together. Is that ok?"

Cuddy laughed at the girl's hesitancy. "Absolutely. You two wouldn't want us old hags hanging around while you do the marriage thing. But I do want to have dinner with you every night. We'll eat out or cook in; whatever you want to do. I will not go without seeing you every day."

Jaymie smiled that million-watt-smile that endeared her to each and every person she met. "It's a deal."

Billy nodded. "We'd love to."

"Great! Now that that's settled…" Cuddy grabbed Leah's rolling suitcase. "…do you want to see Princeton-Plainsboro before or after you get settled?" For a reason unknown to Cuddy, Leah hesitated and her demeanor took on an almost panicked expression. She looked at her friend with a slight frown. "Do you really want to see it Leah?"

Leah quickly shook herself out of whatever she was thinking and looked at Cuddy. "Oh, sure. Yeah, of course."

"What's wrong??"

"Nothing, nothing. I'm just tired. Let's go see it now. When we get to your house I'm taking a nap. It's way past my naptime."

Cuddy knew Leah was covering but chose, at the moment, to not pursue. "You have a naptime??"

Leah nodded. "I made it a clinic rule that all my workers nap at certain times. People take turns. It's actually increased productivity."

"How's the clinic?"

And Leah's demeanor changed 180 degrees. She animatedly chatted on and on about her multi-specialty, multi-doctor clinic in Cheyenne, using hand gestures, fluctuations of her voice and long medical terms to describe her pride and joy. It was the most successful private medical facility in Wyoming, if not the tri-state area. She kept going as they loaded up Cuddy's car and headed toward Princeton-Plainsboro, barely drawing breath in between the statistics of birth and death rates.

It was only when Cuddy pulled her expensive car into her parking spot at the hospital that Leah drew breath. "Whoa girl!" Cuddy injected, hoping to catch her before she started over again. "That was twenty minutes and you didn't draw breath once."

"She does that a lot." Billy said.

"Yeah, I know I talk a lot about the clinic, but it's my pride and joy. We help so many people. Oh, I wish you could see it."

"Me too. Ok troops…" Cuddy said as she got out of the car. "…we're here. This hospital is wonderful but, just like every place else, it has its quirks. The one I should warn you about is named Dr. Gregory House." Leah's demeanor instantly changed to panicked again and Cuddy once again caught on. At least, she THOUGHT she'd caught on anyway. "Leah, I know you've heard me talk about House but don't worry. I'll be around and hopefully he won't say anything too…inappropriate. If he does I can fire him or something."

Leah smiled slightly; she didn't believe Cuddy but what could she do? Leah wanted to see where Cuddy was living her dream, and she wanted to get some ideas for her clinic. She'd get through whatever this meeting would invoke. She waved her hand at Cuddy. "I know and I know all about Dr. House; everyone in the medical community knows about him. He's both hated and feared, feared as in 'he's the smartest Nephrologist in all of America' feared."

But not even Cuddy knew just how well Leah knew Dr. House…and she'd planned to keep it that way. She never wanted to speak or address that subject. She'd prayed that she'd never run into the guy while she was in town. Or that he wouldn't remember her and the point would be moot anyway. _**Yet here I go, voluntarily walking into the lion's den. What do I say? What do I do?**_

At the same time Leah had a bad feeling that everyone would soon know just how well she knew Dr. House. She only had herself to blame, really. _**What is wrong with me?? Oh won't you just admit it: you're curious. You want to see him, even after all these years, no matter what he's already done to you or what he could do to you. You're sick Leah, just sick. **_

"Why? Do you want to meet him or something?"

"Not particularly but I guess a quick peek at the freak show won't really hurt." _**There, I didn't sound too nervous there. They'll believe that. There's no way he'll remember me…and no way it won't ever come out. You'll be fine. Stop worrying.**_

Jaymie grabbed her husband's hand and fell into step behind the older women. "But Mom, you've said he's a Nephrologist too. Maybe you could talk shop or something?"

Leah's eyebrow rose. She wasn't so sure this wasn't yet another attempt by the girl to 'match-make' her widowed mother with ANYONE who remotely sounds available. "'Talk shop'? Code words for date?"

Cuddy cleared her throat. "Trust me Leah, you don't want to date him."

"You've said he's pretty bad but is he really THAT horrible?" _**Ok, ok; keep playing dumb. Nobody knows…nobody knows…**_

"Well…"

"CUDDY!!" A roar filled the semi-busy lobby of the hospital, stopping traffic all around. Leah looked at Cuddy who'd closed her eyes, clearly with exasperation. She couldn't see where the yell came from but Cuddy yelled back, "Yes Dr. House??"

And Leah froze where she stood.

Seemingly from out of nowhere, a tall, handsome man with a scruffy 12:00 shadow, a long, polished cane and striking baby blue eyes plowed a trail to where they stood and stopped directly in front of them…and Leah almost forgot how to breathe. _**Those eyes, exactly the same. Stunning and incredibly beautiful, especially when they looked at me like all those years ago…**_

He turned his eyes away from Cuddy and settled on Leah…and she could've sworn the man did a double take. His eyes widened momentarily as he scanned her thoroughly, clear recognition etched into every feature of his face but as quickly as it came it left, leaving a blank face and a dulling of his once-bright baby blues.

Leah's heart was pounding; it wasn't like she meant anything to him…or he to her…but those baby blues caught her every time. They were so striking and so telling.

House eyed the newcomers, his gaze returning to Leah. In a voice relatively calm compared to the war she alone recognized waging in his eyes, he said to Cuddy, "Ah, I see you've taken the Board's advice and started hiring strippers. Remember what the Board said about it?"

Cuddy's eyebrow rose. "No. Enlighten me."

"They were all for it. Their exact words were, 'Strippers are essential to facilitate the necessary team building morale that keeps our fine doctors motivated to save lives'."

Cuddy rolled her eyes and looked at the newcomers. "House, these are my guests."

His eyebrow rose as he continued studying Leah. "Your guests? You mean the Waltons have actually _volunteered_ to be in your company? Are you sure they aren't really here for some creepy science experiment that you aren't telling me about?? You're an idiot; I could've got you double whatever you're making with the 'Deliverance' bunch."

Leah's eyebrow rose and the side of House's mouth twitched up in defiance, as if to say _**Your turn. Whatcha got?**_. She silently answered, _**Just you watch…**_ Her eyes widened as her mouth dropped and she pointed to him. "Wait a minute?!?! 'Monkee Boy'!!?? Is that really you?!?!?!"

*****


	3. MP Chapter 2

**CHAPTER 2**

House's eyebrow rose in an _**I dare you…don't bring that up.**_ She grinned and nodded as he asked, "What the…? What the hell are you talking about? And who are you??" House silently responded with _**You had to bring that up you little…**_

Leah shook her finger for emphasis. "Monkee Boy!!! It IS you!! You were Farty Arty's fourth-year med student!! I remember you." She halfway turned to her family and friends then smiled wider, her gaze never quite leaving House's frowning face. "I had Dr. Arthur Maurice, or 'Farty Arty', for Basic Anatomy my first-year in med school at Michigan. From what I understand, Farty Arty always had a fourth-year med student teach the class when he was gone. He was gone a lot; Maurice would leave for what he called 'medical visits'."

Cuddy was stupefied; Leah hadn't bothered to inform her of their history. "You KNEW Dr. House?!?" Leah nodded. "And you NEGLECTED to tell me this little piece of information in all the years we've known each other?"

Leah shrugged. "It never came up."

"Of course it did; it came up each and every time I complained to you about him!"

House narrowed his eyes at Cuddy. "You've been tellin' Laura Ingalls Wilder here about me?"

"Emails were a helluva lot cheaper than a shrink…and a helluva lot more effective too." Cuddy turned back to Leah. "Well? Why didn't you say anything?"

"I didn't realize Dr. Gregory House was Monkee Boy." She caught a hint of hurt on his face but neither said anything. "Besides, what does it matter now?"

"Was Arty seeing a doctor?" Jaymie asked, ignoring the one fact everyone else seemed focused on.

Leah was eternally grateful to her daughter for the segue. "If you think regular rendezvous with a hooker named 'Sunshine' were medicinal, then yes they were." She chuckled and looked at Cuddy while pointing at House. "Monkee Boy here was the jerk who always called us idiots as he tried to teach the class a thing or two about anatomy. He was a lousy teacher. I remember that first day we met him: he strode in, just thinkin' he was the hot sh!t..." Jaymie's eyebrow rose; she could count on her hand the number of curse words her mother said since she adopted Jaymie. "…hopped up to the podium in front of this auditorium of about 400 students…" she jabbed the air at House and giggled "…called us all idiots and turned to write something on the chalkboard when someone in the back…well…they told him to 'Shut up Monkee Boy!', only not quite in those nice words. The name stuck."

Jaymie was giggling. "Why did they call him 'Monkee Boy'?"

"Well…" Leah smiled, enjoying the increased panic on House's face. _**Let's see what he does with this one. **_"…that first day he came to class wearing a bright yellow Monkees t-shirt."

This surprised Cuddy who seemed to, at least momentarily, put past Leah and House's history. "Monkees?!?! As in, 'Hey, Hey, We're the Monkees!!!' Monkees?!?!" Leah nodded, causing Cuddy to cough in an attempt to hide her laughter. "Really? I thought you were more of a The Who or the Rolling Stones fan??"

House ignored Cuddy as he addressed Leah. "You've got me mixed up with someone else. Now return to the backwoods and tell your mountain folk what the big city is like. We have no room for you here."

"Seeing you now, I'm surprised I didn't mistaken you. You look like sh!t. Age didn't agree with you at all." House opened his mouth to snark back but she shook her head. "Miraculously I didn't mistaken you. It was definitely you."

He was about to explode. He was so going to get Cuddy for springing her on him like this. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"What exactly was said the day he wore that t-shirt?" Billy asked

"It doesn't matter. But…" She began giggling again. "…by Dr. House being the ss…" Jaymie frowned at her words. She seemed to have a hard time digesting what was happening; it wasn't that she had virgin ears and couldn't handle 'naughty' words of her adoptive mother but Leah always had a cool head and had deliberately chosen to not talk bad about others. This included name calling. _**He must really bring out the worst in her. **_"…that he was, he caused endless Davey Jones taunts. Whenever he walked into the lecture hall, someone would start singing 'Hey, hey, we're the Monkees!' It was a very wild…and awesome…semester in that class. Too bad he never wore that shirt again. I liked The Monkees."

"See…now you're just delusional. That never happened."

"No it happened, Davey." She smiled when House grew more upset. _**Maybe this isn't so bad; I'll see him this one time then we'll never see each other again. That's the way to do it.**_ "I couldn't believe it then and I don't believe it now. It was 1985 and he was still wearing that t-shirt!"

"It was retro."

"Not in 1985."

"Shut up."

Leah nearly laughed out loud at his reaction. "Oh it's ok Dr. House…" she placed a hand on her hip as she examined him thoroughly, like a horse dealer examines his wares. "You're a world-famous Nephrologist and Diagnostian. What does it matter that 400 first-year med students caught you wearing a Monkees' t-shirt? I bet half those kids either dropped out after that first year or were so strung up on drugs they wouldn't remember you or your ridiculous shirt anyway."

"What's your name?"

"Dr. Leah Rogan; my name in college was Leah Joyce."

Cuddy pointed defiantly at Leah. "And she's a Nephrologist herself."

House's critical eye scanned every inch of the woman; with each passing nanosecond his discomfort at seeing this woman, whom he'd managed to, mostly (or so he claimed), put out of his brain, was steadily rising. Like almost 25 years before, he was bothered by her. Now it was much different though his desire for her was somehow managing to override whatever discomfort came with her presence in front of him. _**I'm just lonely. That's it. I don't really want her, I don't really want her…**_ "Well, isn't that just ducky? Class reunion. I didn't know Minnie Pearl was coming or I'd have grabbed my overalls and yelled 'Hee Haw!!!'."

Leah's eyes widened and her mouth opened. He'd remembered what called her all those years before! _**Does that mean…?? I mean, does **_he_** still remember…?? **_ "How did you…?"

"You always wore that pearl necklace and sat in the fourth row. What college student wears pearls to class?"

"How'd you remember that was me?"

House looked pained for a moment but quickly corrected so no one but Leah noticed. "You were the hottest girl in that class. I'd remember a great piece of ss any day."

"That explains why you called on me, even when my hand wasn't up. You were always picking on me. I think the others thought I was your girlfriend or something."

"If I remember you gave it as good as you got it." Leah almost choked at that one.

Jaymie listened with a smile that widened. "So does this mean Dr. House had a crush on you??"

Leah cringed inwardly; that wasn't a prospect she particularly wanted to think about. "Yes Jaymie, I think it does."

"You wore pearls to class?! You were such a dork!!" Jaymie laughed even harder.

"It was a gold chain with five freshwater pearls. The pearls were my grandmother's; I never took it off during college."

"It was hotter than hell. Most of the guys in that class wanted to screw you." House interjected, causing Jaymie to immediately stop laughing.

Leah narrowed her eyes. "How would you know?!? They didn't exactly confide in you."

"No but they stopped what they did whenever you walked in the room. I swear, whenever I gave a test, they'd look up if it was you turning in your test. You drove half those boys crazy you vixen."

"Including you I take it??"

The chuckle he exerted sounded almost bitter and strained. "Sex with a woman who wears nothing but pearls is one experience all men should have. You'll have to remember to wear them when we do have sex. I'm quite partial to the big Wilma Flintstone pearls. Those gigantic rocks get mine off."

"Just how do you know that?" Cuddy asked as House smirked, never taking his eyes from Leah. The visual communication between the seeming old classmates (well, not classmates; more like teacher and student) wasn't pretty; it would've been a fistfight had fists been involved.

Jaymie opened her mouth to defend Leah when Leah just sighed and held up her hand. Her gaze never left House's as she regarded him. "Lise?"

Cuddy looked ready to break up a potential fight. "Yes Leah?"

"Can we see the rest of the hospital? I've seen enough here; I now know I can die happy because I've seen Monkee Boy just one more time." Leah turned around and took a brief moment to sigh quietly as she closed her eyes. She headed for the elevator and, finding one empty, didn't wait for Jaymie and Billy to catch up, who were yelling for her to do just that. Giving House a quick regard after she'd stepped aboard and turned around, Jaymie and Billy jumped inside just as the doors closed. Leah didn't care where they were going; she needed to get away from him. Fast.

But who was she kidding? This was the exact reason she didn't want to call and the reason she never told Cuddy about what happened all those years ago. She knew it would be nothing but ugly.

*****


	4. MP Chapter 3

**CHAPTER 3**

Cuddy sighed and looked at House who was pulling out his Vicodin bottle and swallowing two. "She's going to be in town for two weeks; if you must be around button the lip." She regarded him, seeming to miss the perplexed expression on his face. "You were Farty Arty's student assistant?" House sighed and Cuddy laughed. "He must've changed hookers when I got him; when I had Basic Anatomy her name was 'Perky Peggy'. One of the guys in the class followed him and caught a picture of him and Peggy. He never lived it down that semester. I think the school finally found out about it and fired him."

"And who do you think paid that guy to follow Arty?" House didn't notice her gaping expression; he was too busy staring at the elevator Leah got on, trying to figure her out; himself out; this whole situation out. He'd been interested in her all those years before but in class he couldn't treat her any better than anyone else. So he'd sought to humiliate her. Trouble was, she was one smart cookie and she wouldn't let him get one up on her which only made his regard for her grow. She met him, blow after verbal blow.

Suddenly images of what made their latest meeting so uncomfortably filled his brain and coursed through his body, overwhelming his senses and driving him momentarily insane.

"I was in his class five years after Leah! You weren't even around!"

House threw Cuddy a condescending expression. "I'd been blackmailing Arty for years, ever since I had him for Basic Anatomy and saw him at The Pink Cocktail."

"The Pink Cocktail was a nudie club!!"

"Don't take that pious tone with me; I know you would've worked there if your ss hadn't been the size of Texas." He shrugged and turned back to the elevator Leah went in. "We worked out an 'arrangement'."

"What was your 'arrangement'?"

"Let's just say I never had to take out student loans for medical school while he continued fondling the floozies." House thumped his cane on the floor and studied his backwards reflection off the pristine marble tile. "So…two weeks huh? Is she staying with you?"

Cuddy shook her head; if she told him Leah was her houseguest, he'd show up unexpectedly hoping to score a nudie snapshot or even worse: a close-encounter. She loved her friend too much to subject her to that. "Nope; she's staying at the Marriott but she's going to that Nephrology conference in town. She won't be around."

"Hmm…I have a sudden hankering for car-sized replicas of kidneys and stealing cool medical swag. When does this conference start?"

"You're going? Oh good; you're speaking at the genetic kidney disease seminar tomorrow morning at 10. If you have trouble thinking up something, I have a couple of books in my office you could use: 'The Bathroom Reader' and '1001 Jokes to Tell at Medical Conferences'. I can't wait to find out how it goes."

"Wait a minute. I was never planning on going."

"I know. I was betting on your sudden willingness to go after you'd met Leah. She's a very beautiful woman and I know how you are with pretty girls. Just…try to restrain yourself or you'll never have a chance with her." Cuddy sighed and turned to leave but stopped and turned around, a curious expression on her face. "You know, I'll never understand why they called him 'Farty Arty'. He didn't have a flatulence problem when I took his class."

"He didn't; take a wild guess of who started that nickname."

Cuddy studied him. She didn't know whether to be shocked or sick. "Oh House. Why?"

"Why not? You can leave now."

She shook her head as she turned and walked out of the conference room. "I can't believe you knew Leah in college."

House waited until she got out of earshot to mutter, "Not as much as I wanted."

*****


	5. MP Chapter 4

**CHAPTER 4**

"DOCTOR WILSON, PLEASE REPORT TO RADIOLOGY. DOCTOR JAMES WILSON, PLEASE REPORT TO RADIOLOGY."

Dr. James Wilson sighed. He was in an examination room in the clinic, in the middle of a consult with a rather beautiful woman, and he didn't want to cut it short. So he ignored it. "Now, Miss Flannigan, tell me where you think…"

"DOCTOR WILSON, PLEASE REPORT TO RADIOLOGY. DOCTOR JAMES WILSON, PLEASE REPORT TO RADIOLOGY."

Miss Flannigan smirked. "It sounds like you're needed."

"I know. Can you…"

She nodded. "Yes I can wait."

He shook his head and stood up, walking to his the closed door of the exam room. "This had better be good…" she heard him mutter.

*****

Wilson made his way to Radiology, only to find it empty. Knowing that House was somehow involved, just because he was somehow involved with, well, EVERYTHING, Wilson rolled his eyes and turned to leave. "She's here."

Wilson stopped and turned back. It took a brief moment to discover House in the booth and talking through the loudspeaker. Wilson strolled over and flung the door open. "House, if I've told you once, I've told you a thousand times: Catherine Zeta Jones does NOT live in our imaging system; Mary Queen of Scots is NOT narrating your memoirs to you in that booth; and Lizzie Borden really IS dead. I can't believe you pulled me out of a consult because of this." Wilson turned and slammed the door shut.

"Minnie Pearl is back."

Wilson stopped again and turned around. "Minnie Pearl? From 'Hee Haw'? She can't be here; she died in 1996. Oh God…are you now seeing someone ELSE in the imaging system??!! Do we have a 'Ghost in The Machine' too??"

"How would you know about that movie? You've never seen a horror movie a day in your life." Wilson shrugged and House looked even more puzzled. "Just how the hell do you know when Minnie Pearl died?" House's even more incredulous question boomed into the room.

"Doesn't matter." Wilson took a deep breath and rubbed his eyes. "Ok, why are you claiming that Minnie Pearl is back??"

"And this is why I never tell you anything _really_ juicy about myself…" House sighed into the microphone, stood up and hobbled out of the booth. "The ONE…" House held up his index finger, "…personal thing I _do_ tell you, you completely forget. Leah Joyce, from Farty-Arty's class…"

The light bulb suddenly turned on above Wilson's head and his eyes widened. "Pearl girl??" House nodded. "The girl you shagged in your office the day of finals?"

"Did you just use the word 'shagged' in reference to sex?"

"She's HERE??!?!" House nodded, rubbing his forehead and thumping his cane. Wilson knew that each action meant he was agitated and annoyed, respectfully; doing them both at the same time meant this was REALLY bad. Wilson grinned like the sly dog he could really be. "How did she look??"

House didn't know if he should answer that but he had enough male pride to be extremely proud that he'd nailed someone who looked like her so he grinned. "Exactly like she did 20 years ago."

"Whoa hoo hooo!" Wilson chuckled in his own distinctive way. "Way to go. How do you feel about it?"

"How am I supposed to feel? I didn't know she was coming; she's acting like she didn't remember what happened. What's the proper feeling for this situation Jimmy? You seem to know all the right feelings for every situation."

"Do you remember what happened?"

"Of course I do; how could I forget?"

"What does she do?"

"She's a Nephrologist."

"Hmmm…interesting. What's her name now??"

"Leah Rogan."

Wilson's eyes widened. "LEAH ROGAN?? THE Leah Rogan??"

House rolled his eyes. "Yes, THE Leah Rogan, thought to be the greatest Nephrologist in the Upper Northwest. She's got a clinic in Wyoming that's getting national attention. Of course I know who she is."

"And you've been keeping tabs on her, all these years. You've known where she's been and what she's been doing. If she meant so much to you why haven't you gone after her?"

"Would you really want ME pursuing you after you dumped me and married someone else?"

Wilson looked at him critically then nodded. "Good point. You could've just ended that statement at 'Would you really want me pursuing you' and that would've been enough for anyone to agree." House smirked sarcastically. "So, oh love struck doctor, what are you going to do? How long is she going to be here? Is she still married??"

"So many questions. Let's see…I don't know; two weeks; and…" House put his finger to his chin in mock contemplation. "…oh yeah, I don't know."

"And I have no doubt you'll find out very soon. Now, I have a consult with a beautiful woman to finish. After that we should invite the great Nephrologist to dinner and get to know her better." House rolled his eyes as Wilson turned on his heel and left the room. Neither man knew what to do about the situation but each knew things were about to become very interesting at PPTH.

*****

"I'm not sure that was a good idea Lise," Leah said as the four of them sat down in a restaurant later that night. Earlier that day the young marrieds rented a car, checked into their hotel and settled in before Cuddy got off of work. Now, as they sat in a semi-crowded bistro not far from the hospital, Leah wasn't sure they should've gone to the hospital at all.

"What do you mean? What wasn't a good idea?"

"Earlier. You know, going to the hospital. I probably could've done without meeting up with Monkee Boy during my trip. But I guess it was for the best."

"Of course it was," Jaymie said as she broke off a piece of the steaming bread the waiter had just set on the table. "Now we know that Dr. House had a crush on you. I think it's sweet actually."

"Sweet?!?!" Cuddy shook her head and took a nice long gulp of the red wine in front of her as nobody noticed how pale Leah suddenly became. Leah suddenly lifted the menu up to hide her discomfort. Gulping Cuddy held up her hand in protest. "It's not sweet; it's not good at all. Now he'll do nothing but hound you during your entire visit."

"No he won't," Leah said from behind her menu. "I'll be at the conference; he'll be at the hospital. We won't even speak with each other."

"Well…I, um…" Cuddy held up her menu as well and quickly spoke, knowing that menu would be her only defense against the onslaught about to come. "…I told House he had to go to the conference. He's speaking at the genetic kidney disease symposium."

Leah suddenly dropped her menu on the table with a THWACK! "You did WHAT?!?!" She didn't know whether to brain her with the menu or make a run for the airport so instead she grabbed her own glass and downed the red wine in one gulp.

"He has to go to medical conferences, and if this is the only way to do it then so be it. For what it's worth, he was more than eager to go when you said you'd be there. Maybe I should dangle you in front of him whenever I want him to do something. He'll never know."

"Oh yes he will. He's a smart guy, brilliant even," Leah sighed. She did not want to have to deal with him. This was supposed to be a pleasant trip; how exactly was she to get rid of the roaring lion that she knew would follow her every step of the way??

"Are you ladies going to order or what??" Billy spoke up for the first time in quite awhile. Everyone looked up and saw the waiter with an agitated look on his face, his pen poised to scribble down whatever entrée they wanted.

"Always thinking with your stomach," his wife grumbled as she tried to make her decision.

"If I didn't we'd never get to eat."

*****


	6. Chapter 5

**CHAPTER 5**

The next morning found Cuddy reading a patient's chart in her office, her mind lost in a sleep-deprived haze. She was staring in the distance and thinking back to the night before…

After dinner, the young couple went to their hotel and Cuddy and Leah spent most of the night sitting side by side on Cuddy's sofa and catching up with their lives. At one point, around 11:00, Cuddy asked, "Why haven't you been seeing someone?"

Leah wasn't anywhere near prepared for a question like that so it took her a few moments to comprehend what was being asked of her. She then tried to form the correct words in her head as she wasn't ready to admit the real reason: fear. Dr. Leah Rogan did not want to date again for fear of losing yet another man she loved. Losing Jake had almost killed her; to do it again would finish the job. It was easier to think 'Why fall in love again? You can't get hurt again.' then to actually give her heart to another man. She didn't want to go down that path. "I see all kinds of men; men come into the clinic everyday."

"That's not what I meant and you know it."

"No I don't. I thought you meant seeing them in the literal sense."

"Just answer the question."

Leah paused. "The pickings in Wyoming are slim at best. Most men are either married with families, incapable of finishing complete sentences without spitting Copenhagen out the side of his mouth, or married to his ranch. The right one just hasn't come along."

"Honey, there's a very good chance you'll never met up with another Jake; Jake was one in a billion."

"I don't want another Jake…" Leah cut herself off, unable to continue on her own.

"Riiiight." Cuddy didn't sound convinced. She picked up on how much running into 'Monkee Boy' had affected Leah. Perhaps there'd been a mutual attraction, though probably more on his side, between the 4th year Monkee Boy and the 1st year Minnie Pearl.

But this hurt Cuddy at the same time; Leah was never one to hide things from her. While they hadn't talked in quite awhile, Leah used to be more open, honest. Now? Cuddy didn't know whether Leah was hiding anything from her…whether she didn't trust Cuddy…or whether Leah truly didn't have anything to say. In some respects Lisa felt like a stranger who didn't know the woman sitting next to her, the woman she grew up with. But Cuddy resolved to make the most of Leah's short visit.

"Leah, why didn't you ever tell me you knew House?"

_**One HUGE reason that I don't want to talk about right now…**_ She shrugged. "It never seemed relevant."

"It never seemed relevant?!?" Cuddy threw back like a parrot wanting a cracker. "Of course it was relevant. What else aren't you telling me?"

"Um…" Leah hesitated. What she was going to share next was very odd and out of place because it was easier to tell Cuddy this than it was to tell her about her full relationship with House. It shouldn't have been. Leah rubbed her eyes and sat back against the cushions of Cuddy's plush, overstuffed couch. "Do you have any alcohol around here? I think it's going to be a long night." When Cuddy came back with two glasses and a bottle of red wine, Leah wasted no time in filling her glass and taking a large gulp. She rubbed her eyes again then sighed and just spat it out. "…Jake was having an affair."

Cuddy watched her for a moment, as if she hadn't even heard what Leah had said. Once it became clear that Leah was not going to say something different Cuddy blinked then her mouth fell open. "He…Jake…what? Jake-Jake?" Cuddy pointed to Leah. "_Your_ Jake? An affair? That's absolutely impossible. I don't believe you."

"I wish it weren't true but it is."

One look on Leah's face and Cuddy believed her even if she couldn't believe it herself. "How'd…how'd you find out?"

"Six months ago I finally got around to cleaning out some of Jake's storage boxes in the basement. In the far back, behind some boxes of his old high school and college junk that I never touched was a journal. Of course, being the female that I am, I opened it and started reading." She paused as her eyes welled. "It was clear that at the beginning it was meant to be a short-term thing. Didn't turn out that way."

"How had it ended?"

"The last entry, dated the day before he died, mentioned they were going to rendezvous at a veterinarian conference he was scheduled to attend in Dallas. He died. That's how it ended."

Cuddy, in complete and absolute shock, just sat there speechless. She never once thought either would stray or divorce. They were the perfect, All-American couple, as far as everyone who knew either one of them was concerned. Cuddy suddenly felt like an intruder, and wanted to get up and leave. _**Maybe if I left,**_ she thought, _**None of this would be true and we wouldn't be having this discussion. **_But Cuddy sadly that wouldn't happened and they were still having that conversation. "Who was the wanton b!tch??"

Despite herself and her situation, Leah smiled halfheartedly at Cuddy. "The wife of one of the other vets in Jake's clinic. It had been going on for…um…for a year before he died. What started out as short-term became something much more."

"How did it make you feel when you read that?"

Leah looked at Cuddy incredulously. "How would it have made YOU feel? If I said I was an emotional mess; that I wanted to kill him even though he was already dead; that I no longer trusted men because even the 'perfect' ones aren't so perfect, I would be absolutely right. I was, and I wanted to do, all those things. But I realized very quickly that, at the end of the day, my Jacob Rogan was still dead; he was still a philandering jerk; and he is still the man I love above everyone else. None of that has changed." Leah paused. "I then began to wonder what I did to drive him to her. Was I not supportive enough? Was I just a cold-hearted shrew who made life a living hell? Was I not good enough in bed? Did he want something and either he told me and I just didn't get it, or he didn't tell me? Was our marriage really THAT bad?? I thought it was perfect." She took a long, painful gulp as unexpected tears filled her eyes.

Cuddy was astonished; either that mild Wyoming air and hospitable, friendly people had made Leah an understanding goodie-goodie, someone who'd willfully see the good in people like John Wayne Gacy or Ted Bundy, or else Leah had completely believed that all was well, either missing the warning signs, or there had been none at all which was possible. Cuddy gravitated to thinking it was the last one. "So does that mean you were angry or not?"

"Of course I was angry. I feel betrayed, helpless and like the biggest and most clueless dolt that ever existed. That doesn't really matter now; what does is that Jake got trampled by a horse he was treating and died. End of story."

"Did you ever hear from this other woman?"

"You mean the 'wanton b!tch'?" Cuddy grinned and nodded while Leah smiled sadly. "I recall she came to the funeral with her husband but I don't recall any overly dramatic displays of sorrow. I mean, everyone who was there was mourning pretty loudly; Jake's death was so sudden and he was so beloved by others…"

"…by some more than others I reckon…"

"…that it didn't seem out of the ordinary with anyone else. Lisa…" Leah looked at her intently, tears streaming down her face. "…is there something wrong with me?? Why didn't he want me anymore??" And that was what opened the floodgates as the tears poured down her cheeks and rack after rack of coughing and wailing overtook her body. Finally, in the six months since the discovery, Leah cried over her husband's actions; over what she could've done to drive him to betray their marriage like that; over what she didn't do to cause his cheating. She didn't know, and never would know, why he did it but Leah had finally, right then and there, resolved to pick up the pieces and move on.

That night they let out many hurts, loneliness and regrets. Well, Cuddy might've but Leah was still holding back. She wasn't ready just yet to confront that subject with Cuddy. It would take more than a bottle of wine and girl bonding to reveal something that huge. It was 2 in the morning by the time they crashed, and Cuddy needed to be at work by 7:30.

By 9:00 she was sitting at her desk, reading through charts and chugging down coffee. The knock that followed startled her; who she saw standing there surprised her even more.

*****


	7. MP Chapter 6

CHAPTER 6

It was both Jaymie and Billy who'd knocked. "Jaymie!" Cuddy stood up and walked around her desk, taking her arm and pulling her to the couch nearby. As they got comfortable, Cuddy studied her and knew something wasn't right. "Sweetie? Is something wrong? You look worried."

Jaymie smile was a bit forced. "I don't know. I have this rash but it doesn't itch. It hurts and there are tiny raised spots."

Cuddy looked puzzled. "Did you rub against something?" Jaymie shook her head. "Were you bit by something?"

"I don't remember but I don't think so. We couldn't find a bite mark."

"Can you show it to me?"

Jaymie looked out the windows in the doors of her office. "Can we…can we go somewhere more private?"

Cuddy's puzzlement switched to alarm. "Sure. Let's go to the clinic. We have private examination rooms there." They followed her to Exam Room 1. Not seeing a chart in the holder on the door, Cuddy opened it to find House lying on the table, a comic book in his hand and a lollipop in his mouth. She grimaced. "I should've known I'd find a coupla suckers in here."

House smirked from behind the comic. "Ok, you got your funny for the month; don't slam the door on your way out."

"Can't. This is an open room."

"No it's not. There's a chart on the door."

"No there isn't."

"Well, there was supposed to be a chart. Now get out."

"No way."

House lowered the magazine a few inches and sat up straighter when he saw who was standing with her. "The table in exam 3 is better for sex; this one's too hard."

"No," Jaymie let the remark go past her. "I have this rash and I don't know what it is."

"Did you have Mommie Dearest look at it?"

Billy's expression scrunched with confusion. "Who?"

"You know, Dr. Rogaine."

Cuddy rolled her eyes. "That's Rogan. And no, we didn't."

"Why not?"

Cuddy turned to Jaymie as House asked the question. It was a question she herself hadn't even thought of asking. "Have you talked to Leah?" The girl shook her head.

"Why not?" House repeated.

"What?" The girl asked, as if confused.

House looked at the ceiling; his patience was waning. "This isn't a hard question. Ok, I'll ask one more time: why not?"

"I'm sorry, I didn't hear you."

"Oh you've got to be kidding me. Suddenly you can't hear?"

Cuddy looked at House. "When Jaymie was ten, she suffered partial hearing loss in a car accident."

"But why could she hear you and not me?"

Cuddy grinned. "She can't hear high-pitched whiny noises."

"Hardy har har." House hopped off the table and limped to Jaymie. He lowered his voice to a deeper pitch and Billy snorted, trying to hold back a snicker. "Why not Rogaine?"

"I don't want to worry her. I'm the closest thing she has to a daughter."

"Why? Did she drown her own young at birth or something?"

Jaymie's eyes narrowed. "Does it matter?"

House shrugged. "I guess not."

"Do you want to look at the rash or not?"

House shook his head. "I'm too smart and important to waste my time with this drivel. Get another doctor." He started toward the door when Cuddy said, "I'll give you a month off of clinic duty if you follow her case from beginning to end, no matter how big, how small."

Jaymie's eyebrow rose as she regarded Cuddy. "Why? Are you expecting something major?"

"Of course not but if I want him to do his job, I've got to make the rules as encompassing as possible. Otherwise he's just gonna ignore them and do what he wants."

"What makes you think I won't even with your rules?"

"Do you want the deal or not?"

House regarded the group. If he cooperated he knew it meant seeing Leah more. The idea of seeing her had never been all THAT bad, even in those moments he hated her more than he hated anything in the world. "Ok, fine. I'll take the case."

"You mean, just like that?" Cuddy was a bit stunned.

"What else did you expect??"

"More protesting, perhaps some wailing and rending of garments."

"Yeah well, I can't rip off my clothing. I'd get arrested for exposing myself to minors." He pointed to the married couple.

Cuddy looked at Jaymie who studied them both with a bit of uncertainty. "Are you sure this is safe?"

Both Cuddy and House repeated "NO" at the same time.

"Are you sure I should do this?"

"YES" came the chorus of two.

Jaymie sighed. "Fine. I'll do it." She handed her purse to her husband, grabbed the button of her jeans and began to unzip. With her eyes closed, she dropped her Wranglers and pointed to the spot which most concerned her. It was on the outside of her upper right thigh and it looked painful: raised, red pinpoint bumps.

House's eyebrow rose at the rash. "Remove your jeans all the way and sit on the table." She removed her tennis shoes, socks and jeans then sat on the table. House smirked at her legs then looked at Billy. "Could be carpet burns. They don't call it 'shag' carpet for nothing."

Billy's fists clenched beside him and Jaymie grabbed her husband's arm. "Hon, he's harmless. I mean, just look at him." She pointed to his cane. House sneered at her and lifted his cane. "Let him look at it." Billy visibly relaxed…sort of…but kept a critical eye on the doctor.

House rolled his eyes, lowered the cane and lightly ran his fingers along the rash. Jaymie hissed with the light touch. "Did that hurt?" She nodded. "Hmmm."

"What is it?" Cuddy asked.

"It's not dermatitis or a contact rash," House said, his jaw working in time with his brain. "It's got to be purpura."

"What's purpura?" Jaymie asked, the fear quickly rising in her throat.

Cuddy moved to stand by the girl. "Purpura is minor bleeding underneath the skin. But why would it hurt? The purpura is underneath the skin."

House pointed to the rash. "There are tiny raised lesions. Lucky for her they aren't black or brown."

"Why is that lucky?" Billy asked.

"It's ugly, more painful and could mean a sign of something really bad."

Jaymie looked at Cuddy, then at House. "So what does this mean?"

House's jaw continued working as he studied her. "Do you have a headache?" Jaymie shook her head as House examined the movement. "Does your neck hurt at all?" She shook her head again. "Does it hurt when you move your head up and down?"

"I just told you it didn't hurt."

"Indulge me. Does it hurt when you nod your head?"

"No, see?" She nodded and there was no clear sign of any pain. "Why?"

"A rash, which looks like purpura, can be a sign of meningitis," Cuddy said but put her hand on Jaymie's arm. "But since you don't have a headache, neck pain or…" She felt her forehead with her wrist. "…a fever, it's not meningitis."

"Shouldn't you take her temperature, just to be sure?" Billy asked, his voice a bit frantic. "I know how contagious and bad meningitis can be. We should check just to be sure."

"Yes, Dr. Cuddy. Take her temperature. You're not a mother; the wrist test doesn't work until you've had life spring forth from your loins." House said, studying Jaymie. Cuddy narrowed her eyes as she grabbed a thermometer and stuck it in Jaymie's mouth. House watched the scene and almost smiled with glee. This was turning from a simple 'rash' into something more complicated. Finally a reason to continue on with these annoying people. Well, one annoying person anyway. "It's time for Rogaine."

"So what does this mean?" Jaymie asked around the thermometer.

Cuddy sighed. "It means that you're going to be admitted. When we get you settled, I'll call Leah and send 13 to pick her up."

"Now why would you do that?" House's question was incredulous. "They'll never make it; 13 might rape her on the way over or something."

"Shut up." Cuddy looked at the increasingly-frightened girl. "We won't know until we get a full workup, including history and testing. But don't worry and don't let Dr. House scare you. If you do then he's won and we don't want that."

"Hey now…"

Cuddy cut him off with a wave of her hand as she removed the thermometer. "98.6. No fever. It's definitely not meningitis which is a very good thing." She took Jaymie's arm. "Let's get you upstairs and into a room."

"But this is my VAAACAAAATIOOOOON!" Jaymie wailed and dropped her head in her hands. Billy sat beside her and pulled her into his arms, rocking her with soothing words in her ear.

"Awww…isn't that just too sweet?" House's tone didn't match his words. "Doesn't that make you want to throw up??"

"Come on," Cuddy helped Jaymie get dressed. "Let's get you upstairs."

"Only if I can help her undress."

"Shut up House."

*****


	8. MP Chapter 7

**CHAPTER 7**

Leah had just stepped out of the shower when her cell phone rang. Wrapping her long hair in a towel and tucking the corner of the extra-large towel wrapped around her underneath her armpit, she grabbed the phone by the last ring. "Hello?"

"You sound breathless. Is everything ok?" It was Cuddy.

"Fine. I just stepped out of the shower. What's up? Are you calling about today's itinerary, Madame Tour Guide?"

"I'm…I'm afraid it's Jaymie."

Leah started at this. "Jaymie?!?! My Jaymie?? Is she ok?"

"We think so but she came to see me about a rash."

"A rash?! Did she get bit by an insect or something?" Cuddy's hesitation was enough to deny her hypothesis. "It's something more, isn't it?"

"It looks like purpura."

This alarmed Leah. Purpura didn't spring up everyday in ordinary people. It was a sign of something much worse. "It's not meningitis, is it?"

"Nope. No fever, no neck pain, no headache."

Leah breathed a sigh of relief. "Is she ok? Will she be ok?"

"Yes she is but we obviously won't know until everything is done. But don't worry: I've put Dr. House and his team on this. We just want…"

"You only give House the complicated cases. It's worse than you're letting on, isn't it?"

"How'd you…?"

"Dr. House is a legend in the medical community, mostly for being a selfish son-of-a-b!tch. He's also world-renowned for solving the cases no one else could solve. Is it really that serious?"

"No Leah it's not." And she proceeded to explain running into House in Exam Room 3 and bribing him with a month off clinic if he'd stick to the case. "The bstard has the worst worth ethic of anyone I've ever known, seen or heard of. I'm trying to get him off his lazy ss and do something that doesn't involve naked women, malt liquor or trucks with 10-foot tires. Of course that was before we realized it was purpura; it's the purpura only that's keeping him interested. But don't worry; we'll find out what it is, if it even is anything. I think you should come in though."

Leah sighed. "Fine. I'll cancel my appearance at the convention so I can stay with Jaymie."

"I don't think that's really necessary."

"I do. I wasn't there when Helen died; I need to be there for Jaymie now. I would never forgive myself if I wasn't. Besides, I might have to run interference between them. Jaymie's a sensitive girl and she certainly doesn't need a certain SOB giving her trouble."

"Fine. But I would try to stay out of House's way; it could only get ugly if you don't."

"Not a chance. Like I said, I'll run interference. But what if he gets in _my_ way, Lise?"

"Steamroll the bstard."

*****

"Ok children…" House boomed as he waltzed into his office, startling the fellowship doctors who worked for him. "…we've got a nasty case of purpura on a beautiful 27-year-old female. Go."

The two men and lone woman looked at each other in confusion. They hadn't had a patient in a couple of days and were starting to get antsy. "Go…what?" The younger male, Dr. Kutner, asked in confusion.

"Go detail my bike." House rolled his eyes, sat in a chair at the doctor's conference table, threw the patient's chart on the glass top and slammed his cane on top of it. The younger doctors jumped at the boom of the hardwood on the glass tabletop. "Ok, I'll start from the beginning. What is purpura?"

"Purpura are red or purple discolorations of the skin due to hemorrhaging underneath the skin," the female, known as '13', recited. "It's not that unusual and is usually disease unspecific but the causes of purpura aren't pretty. Have you examined her further?"

House nodded and, standing up, walked to the whiteboard. Grabbing the whiteboard eraser, he smiled when he found yet another rude caricature of himself staring back at everyone. "Aw…isn't that pretty? Who did this one?" He tapped the eraser against his chin and waved a hand in the air like an art critic. "My eyes are blue not red; I had my cloven hoof removed last summer; and I shed my horns every fall. If you're gonna draw me I prefer still life to abstract." The eraser flew across the board in a flourish as the younger doctors smirked. "Ok…" He wrote PURPURA at the top, then 'NOT MENINGITIS' underneath. "No headache, neck pain or fever."

"Where was the purpura??" The older of the ducklings, Taub, asked as he flipped through the chart House had thrown on the table.

"Her right outside thigh. She cried ever so sweetly on her husband's shoulder when we examined her. Better luck next time, 13." House ignored her irritated reaction. "Ok, kiddies, name all the causes of Purpura."

Cuddy opened the door and leaned inside. "13, would you pick up my friend from my house? She's the patient's mother and she needs to be here." 13 nodded, grabbed her jacket and keys, took the directions Cuddy held in her hand and left.

Taub studied House. "Purpura could be caused by vitamin C deficiency, a hypertensive state…"

House ignored Taub as he glared at Cuddy. "You lied to me! You said she was staying at the Marriott!"

"I very well couldn't tell you she was staying at my house; you'd show up and crash our sleepover."

"Of course I would."

"Shut up and let Taub finish."

"But…"

"Shut. Up. Taub, continue." Cuddy stepped inside, pulling out a chair at the conference room table to join in the differentials. She sat with a sigh, crossed her legs and her arms, and looked interested in what Taub had to say.

Taub smirked as he continued rattling off possible causes of purpura. "…deficient vascular support system, coagulation disorder, vasculitis…"

House scratched the back of his head. "Don't forget pregnancy. I had that one a couple years ago. You aren't going to know anything until you get a complete history and a workup. She's down the hall. Swing a left at the nurse's coven. If you don't see a cowboy with a 10-gallon you've gone too far." The juniors got up to leave when House said, "When 13 and the mother show up, call me." All the doctors raised their eyebrows at House. "I need to talk to her."

"You never talk to the patient's family." Kutner paused. "Is she pretty?"

"She's my hooker for the night. I need to negotiate terms. Now go."

The male doctors shook their heads then left. House knew Cuddy was still in the room but pretended she had left. Cuddy wasn't taking the hint. "Don't pretend like I'm not here. I need you to take this case seriously."

"Why? So they can pack up and move back to the sticks? You're about to deprive me of all my fun."

"It's obvious you still like Leah. Why don't you just say something to her instead of being even more unbearable?"

"I have a severe aversion for anybody, especially women, who are your friends. They're probably all 'sisters' in your circle of terror."

"That hasn't kept the drool off your chin. Listen, a word of advice…" Cuddy stepped further into the room and laid a hand on his arm. "…if you want any chance with this woman I'd start by not calling her Dr. Rogaine."

"If I wanted your advice I'd have given it to you." He turned from her and headed toward the door, if only to escape Cuddy. "Now, if you'll excuse me I have a date with a handheld."

"This is no time for video games."

"What makes you think I meant a video game? Her name is Bambi. Of course, I really shouldn't say 'handheld' as it takes more than one set of hands to hold her enormous breasts."

Cuddy held her hands up. "I don't want to know."

"Of course, you could come too and help with the holding. Three's never a crowd when it comes to…"

"I get it. Have fun playing your video game."

House shrugged. "Now that I know where Rogaine is staying I might swing by and play country doctor makin' a house call. Get it? House…call…" Cuddy sighed and he smirked. "I may need to give her a very thorough, complete and embarrassing physical." Cuddy narrowed her eyes and House smiled. "Oh!" He pointed to her, his grin wide. "You're jealous!! That's it! I had no idea this would be hard for you." He stepped closer. "Would you care to step into my private office, little girl? My desk turns into a fairly uncomfortable but manageable futon. I could comfort you in your lonely time."

Cuddy's look suggested disgust mixed with horror. "Did you just proposition me??"

"No, you're just hearing things in your sad, lonely, old age. Look, I don't want this woman. She's an irritating, confounding, loud, rude and IRRITATING country bumpkin. Oh, did I mention…she's IRRITATING!!"

Cuddy saw right through his apprehension. "You've got it bad, ever since college I bet. Was she 'the one that got away'? Lucky for her she was. I wouldn't recognize her if she hadn't."

"She'd be a lot sexier if she'd doll-up for a change."

"She's a knockout and you know it. Stop deflecting House. Why don't you just say something??"

House, knowing he'd heard enough, turned away from her once again and limped to his office. Certainly the last thing he wanted was to justify whatever he felt for Leah to Cuddy. House smiled when he thought of Leah: as he settled in his chair, facing away from the door and to the window that overlooked the Princeton skyline. When he was a young, stupid pup all those years before, he'd loved her name: the sound of her name…the sound of her name on his tongue…the sound of her name on her own tongue.

But he didn't want to think of that last day of class, when it was obvious he'd simply made a fool of himself…of course, at the time, it felt as anything but.

Cuddy could see from the way he was brooding in his office that there was something much more going on; she just didn't know what it was.

*****


	9. MP Chapter 8

**CHAPTER 8**

When Leah and 13 appeared in the doorway of Jaymie's room a half an hour later, Leah had hastily dressed in a pair of tan capris and a red fitted t-shirt. Her long hair hung down her back, combed back and partly wet from the shower. She'd barely had time to put her makeup on.

They found two male doctors, Cuddy and Billy in the room with Jaymie. The older male doctor was holding a clipboard and talking to Jaymie and the other was drawing blood while talking to Billy. Jaymie was the first to see Leah and her eyes lit up. If she hadn't been stuck to a needle she'd have flown across the room to her godmother's arms. "Mom!"

The doctors turned around and Leah smiled, walking further into the room. She sat on the side of the hospital bed and pulled Jaymie in her arms. "Oh Jay, are you ok?"

She nodded. "Yeah. They're asking me all kinds of questions and taking blood samples. They won't tell me anything."

"Are you her mother?" The handsome younger doctor asked as he pulled out the needle, apparently done taking the blood he needed.

"Yes. My husband and I adopted her after her mother died."

The other male doctor went to a phone in the room and made a call.

Leah pointed to him. "What was that about?"

The man finished his call then smiled at Leah. "You're Doctor Leah Rogan, right?" She nodded, bewildered. "THE Doctor Leah Rogan?"

She smiled tightly. "The only one I know of. Why??"

"You're probably the best, and most successful, Nephrologist in the Northwest." He turned to the other male doctor. "She has the biggest clinic in Wyoming and has written many articles on the lack of proper medical care to rural communities. Her work is fascinating."

13 looked at him with curiosity. "Taub, you were a plastic surgeon before coming here. What do you care about rural farming communities?" Leah looked at her with a raised eyebrow. 13 at least had the decency to look embarrassed. "No, that's not what I meant."

"No, I know what you meant…" Leah nodded, her face stoic. Only her eyes gave away the negative impact of the girl's question. "…you meant why would a plastic surgeon be needed with the Hillbillies?" Leah looked at Taub. "Dr…Taub, is it?" He nodded. "Dr. Taub, I do appreciate your kind words. My clinic has 15 doctors of all specialties, and at least 30 beds with plans to expand. We treat anything from bee stings to gallstones to heart transplants. We even have a part-time plastic surgeon that comes once every two weeks, more if needed. He travels from clinic to clinic." Leah looked at the girl. "Dr. Hadley, our plastic surgeon doesn't implant fake boobs or give tummy tucks; he repairs cheeks that have been gorged by bull horns or legs trampled on by stampeding cattle. Our patients are hardworking folks who get their hands dirty, and their jobs are rough and stressful. My clinic is highly respected. We don't turn anyone away and they deserve the same quality of medical care that big city folks get."

"Well, look who just walked in with her large soapbox: Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman." House announced from where he leaned against the doorway. "She came to the big city to prove how little potatoes can stand up to the big spuds."

"But I'm a city girl, born and raised in Chicago."

The younger male doctor looked confused. "Then how'd you end up in the…"

"In the middle of nowhere you mean?" He looked sheepish. "What's your name?"

"Dr. Kutner."

"Are you from around here?"

"No."

"We all have our reasons." Leah looked at House who was even more intrigued. "We aren't here about me; we're here about Jaymie. What's going on?"

House studied her, his eyes following the long, smooth waves of her still-drying hair. He tried to ignore the tingling in his fingers to touch them. "Your hair is wet."

"It happens when you rush from the shower because your daughter is in the hospital. Will somebody PLEASE tell me what's going on?!?"

House's eyebrow winged up. "Oh…did 13 see you naked?"

"No. Lisa's call interrupted my morning routine, much to the chagrin of the male escort I hired to keep me company. We didn't need that interruption."

"Male escort?"

"Oh yeah; you missed the sex romp at Lisa's house last night. It was wild. Look, I was dragged out here because something is wrong with Jaymie. I'm here now. Just tell me what's going on." It was clear she was getting more upset each time she repeated the words.

Of course, House couldn't let it go. "Why didn't you let it ring?"

"Why do you care so much?"

"Because he's upset he missed seeing you naked," Cuddy said. "House, just tell her what's going on."

"Why won't you answer Kutner's question?"

"Are we back to that again?" House didn't answer Leah. "Then why didn't you answer my question?"

"What was your question?"

"What's going on?"

"Not until you answer my question."

Cuddy had had enough. "That's it. Leah does not need to answer your question House; the reason for Jaymie's illness has nothing to do with why Leah left Chicago to live in Wyoming. But you do need to answer her."

"They're getting a family history and taking blood. The child stated she has no immediate, or even intermediate, family history of genetic disorders or illnesses except cancer."

"But Lisa said it was purpura. Cancer doesn't explain purpura." Leah said. "Will you have to biopsy the skin?"

"What? A biopsy? What's that?" Jaymie was looking more and more concerned as the conversation went on. "Why would I need a biopsy?"

House ignored her as he limped around to Taub, taking her chart from him. "Wow Rogaine, you sound like a real, honest-to-God doctor! Since she's my patient I'm calling the shots."

"Are we biopsying the rash?" Kutner asked, his eyebrow raised and a stifled smile on his lips.

House scanned the chart then stopped, his head tilting and his jaw relaxing. It was clear he found something. He tilted his head back down and looked around from underneath his brows, his baby blues stopping at Leah. He studied her a moment then turned to Cuddy. "You suck."

Cuddy narrowed her eyes. "I am your boss; it's not a good idea to tell your boss they suck to their face."

"I could've told you your ss is looking like it belongs in a Hot-Air Balloon Race but I didn't."

"You just did. Why do I suck?"

"Because you could've invited friends with more interesting ailments. A five-year-old could've diagnosed this."

"Sorry…" Cuddy dryly answered. "…all my five-year-old diagnostians are at recess at the moment. Your team will have to do."

House sighed. "Damn it." Leah rolled her eyes; this was getting ridiculous. He was causing nothing but problems. House turned to the other doctors but kept his eyes on Leah. "Get a full blood work-up…" he pointed to Kutner, who was labeling the vials of blood he'd just taken. "…and fluid tests. While you're at it get rheumatoid factors, antinuclear antibodies, a chest x-ray, a sed rate and biochemical organ tests. Test for hepatitis and cryoglobulins. When you get all that done then biopsy the rash." He pulled his eyes from Leah and started to the door.

"Will somebody please answer me??" Jaymie looked scared as she looked at House walking away then at Leah then the other doctors. "Why do I need a biopsy??"

"We need to get a tiny sample of your skin to learn more about the tiny vessels in your skin. If we know how the vessels functioned then we'd know what this purpura was and why it manifested." Kutner said.

"Those are a lot of tests for a simple case of purpura." Taub said to House, ignoring the melodrama with the patient.

House stopped and turned around. "There's nothing simple about purpura." He turned around again to leave but stopped when Leah spoke up. "Wait a minute. Do you know what's wrong with Jaymie?"

He didn't turn around. "Yep."

"If you know what's wrong with her, why do you need all those tests?"

"To prove I'm right."

Leah paused, waiting for more information. When she didn't get it she asked, "Well? Aren't you going to tell us what it is?"

He turned around and smiled. "Now, if I were to tell you that it wouldn't be no fun no mo'. She won't die and it's a lot more fun to watch you worry your sses off than it is watching my team run a bunch of overpriced and time-consuming tests. Besides, you might get so worried you'll become vulnerable and need some immoral comfort to get you through the night. Would you like my phone number?"

Leah worked her jaw then turned to Cuddy. "Can I slug him and make it look like an accident??"

"Be my guest. It wouldn't be the first time."

House's own jaw worked as he looked from Leah to the door and back. "Look, I know what it is but this is a teaching hospital and I want the kiddies to learn from my teachin'. It's nothing life-threatening, damn it."

"Damn it?!?! You want her to die??"

"I didn't say that Rogaine, but the terminal cases are much more interesting."

Leah looked like she'd commit capital murder, right there in that room, in front of her friend and all those witnesses. She stomped up to House and glared at him, the force of that glare making him step back in fright. "Just. Tell. Me. What. Is. Going. On."

"Later my pretty."

"I am NOT your pretty."

"You will be, all in good time baby." House eyed her then, with a short wink and a firm thump of his cane, he turned and walked out. Holding the door open, he looked to his left and shouted, "Hey Wilson! Come meet my plaything!"

Cuddy placed a hand on Leah's arm, holding her in place. "Let him go. It's not worth it; he's not worth it." Cuddy looked at the other doctors who were staring at the situation in horror. "Don't you have a job to do? Let's go people." They didn't move right away. "Do you people remember that I'm House's boss and I sign your paychecks?"

"I thought a committee signed them?" Kutner asked innocently enough.

"You are not brilliant enough to make comments like that. Just shut up and do what House says."

The doctors filed out, leaving Leah and Lisa watching their departure. Leah looked at her friend. "You mean I have to listen to this??" She started gesturing wildly. "Can't you just…stop him…or something?"

"If I could I would've a long time ago. Look, you want him to cure Jaymie. Besides, he does this with everyone."

"I have a feeling he's being worse with me because of our history."

"You'll have to be tough. Don't let him get to you. The thicker skin you are, the more he'll like you."

"But you don't understand…" Leah paused, not sure how to phrase what she had to say. "…there is…I mean there WAS…more between us."

Cuddy's eyes widened and she looked at Jaymie, who was studying Leah intently. "You're right. I don't understand. What do you mean by more??"

Leah opened her mouth to answer her but stopped as she watched Jaymie. "Lise, I think I should tell you this in private."

"No. If this affects how my wife is going to be treated, then you'd better tell all of us." Billy, normally the strong silent type, spoke up. This surprised everyone in the room.

"If there was more, why didn't you ever say something??" Cuddy asked, almost hurt that Leah had kept whatever this was to herself. When Leah didn't answer Cuddy's eyes widened. "Just how much more was there?"

Leah opened her mouth then closed it, as if she were getting ready to say something but decided against it. She rubbed her eyes and plopped down in the nearest chair. "Just how much more would you guess?"

Cuddy's mouth opened then closed. She was almost afraid to say but that didn't stop her from doing it… "You didn't have sex with him…" Leah fidgeted. "…did you?"

Jaymie's eyes widened. "Oh my Gaaahh…you DID?!?" The lack of an immediate rebuttal from Leah was all the confirmation they needed.

*****


	10. MP Chapter 9

**CHAPTER 9**

For some reason Leah wanted to talk about it. She didn't know why; she'd never talked about it before. But it was probably just going to spill out anyway so why not let her be the judge of what's said? She didn't want to leave it to House. "Our last day of class was our final and, as always, Farty Arty wasn't there to proctor the test. But guess who was."

"My employee of the month?"

"You got it. This final was the last of the week…" Her mind drifted as she described a time, so long ago, when she was finishing her last final of her first med school semester. She left out details but described pretty much what she was thinking about...

*****

_As the time ticked along she heard the other students finishing their finals, throwing down pencils, sighing into the tense air and quickly gathering belongings in anticipation of the month-long Christmas holiday. She was way behind the others but that was ok. That was how she worked. She had her own timetable and it didn't matter if she was the last to leave the lecture hall. _

_But the longer she worked, the greater that feeling of being watched intensified. It took her concentration from her final to the front where she saw that jerk Monkee Boy watching her. But why was she surprised? He was always staring, always taunting, always pushing her buttons. It always made her squirm then get mad then say things she didn't want to say. He seemed to love it. Maybe it was some sick thrill. Maybe he was bored. __**He can't very well pull your pigtails from way over there; he's got to flirt somehow. Have you ever thought he might have a crush on you?**_

_**Me??**_

_That Friday was the last day of the semester. She would never see Monkee Boy again, but before they parted ways she wanted some answers. Finishing her test in a quiet lecture hall (if you didn't count his loud, annoying whistling as he bounced a tennis ball on the floor beside him) with only her and the Jerk, Leah was absolutely livid. He wouldn't stop watching her; he wouldn't stop evaluating her; he wouldn't just leave her alone. And he wouldn't stop bouncing that infernal ball. It never ended and she was going to have a little talk with him. _

_Leah stood up, straightened her short-sleeved, form-fitting denim shirt, and bounded down the steps. Stopping in front of him she almost threw her papers at him. "There. I'm done. You won't have to stare at me now. Good bye Monkee Boy and good riddance." Leah turned to leave when Greg grabbed her hand and pulled her toward him. She stared him down. "Get your hand off me. Let me go."_

"_No." _

_She cringed at the darkening of his blue eyes. Her breath caught as his inquisitive orbs studied her face which was so angry and repulsed. "I'll scream."_

"_I'm sure you will."_

"_Do you want me to scream?"_

_His eyes stopped on her lips and he nonverbally answered her question with one powerful suction of his lips on hers. She squirmed, pushing against him, trying to get leverage to push him as far away as she hoped. POP! Their lips broke apart as she wrestled him away from her. "What in the… What makes you think…" Leah stopped, her chest heaving and took a breath. Closing her eyes she held up her right index finger then began again, all the while trying to ignore the beginning of the smirk she just KNEW was on his swollen lips. "Why on God's green earth did you do that?"_

"_It's what you wanted, isn't it? You didn't fight with me all semester just so you could walk out of here, never to see me again."_

"_Me fight with you? You got that all wrong buddy; you fought with me." She sighed, stepped back and stretched her hand out. "Listen, let's just shake and call it a day."_

"_That's not what you want, that's not what I want."_

"_You don't know what I want."_

"_Oh no? Everyone knew what you wanted, the way you flirted with me, arguing back and forth. Half the men in this class asked me if I was banging you. Do you know what that made me feel when I said no?"_

"_Rejected as usual I imagine." Greg narrowed his eyes but she held her ground, crossing her arms over her chest. "I'm surprised you didn't say yes."_

"_I did…"_

"_Ah, but they didn't believe you. I wouldn't believe you either." She shook her head at the pathetic state of his affairs. "So they called you on it and that's when the taunting continued. Why did you come back, Monkee Boy? It was always clear you weren't wanted; everyone hated you. But you stayed. Why? It's your fault they hated you. It's your fault we argued. You started everything."_

"_And you ended everything." House paused. "Did you hate me?" She stepped away from him and halfway turned from him in an attempt to go back to her desk for her belongings but he stopped her with another grip on her hand. "Do you hate me?" Silence. "Why aren't you answering me?" Leah kept her back to him. "You didn't and you don't hate me now. That explains a lot: you could've ignored me or moved to another seat or dropped the class entirely but you didn't. You wanted to flirt with me; you needed to flirt with me."_

_Leah turned back around and pulled her hand from his grasp. "I can't see, even with my distance glasses, that far back so I had to sit up front. Exactly how was I to ignore someone when they nag like a 5-year-old when I don't give them what they want the first time? You'd ask for the answer; I'd ignore you; you'd stand in front of me and it would take five minutes to get me to answer because I couldn't hold out any longer. But you refused to ask anyone else. I didn't learn a thing from you except how to lose my temper." Her hands went up and began gesticulating wildly. "I worked way too hard for my scholarship and if I dropped this class I'd have lost it. You…" she pointed to him and spat out the word like it was a disgusting vintage of wine, "…you weren't about to kill my dreams because you're an annoying pain in the ss."_

_How he loved fire in women and she was the brightest he'd ever encountered. "You never answered my question…"_

_She interrupted him. "I feel sorry for you. There's something wired in your brain for excessive jerkiness or something. You feel the compulsive need to make everyone's life a living hell. Dennis the Menace himself was less of a menace than you are Monkee Boy."_

_He watched her for a bit, noting how she couldn't look at him. He knew Leah wasn't being truthful but decided to play it cool, if only to gauge her reactions, and his gauge was telling him Leah Joyce didn't hate him even if she was mad at him. Greg took a step further, closing the gap between them. "Stop calling me Monkee Boy, Minnie Pearl."_

_Leah's eyes flashed wilder and her chest heaved with excited anger. His eyes fell to her chest, catching the rise and fall of that infernal necklace, the one that drove him crazy all semester, as those shiny pearls laid nestled against her creamy skin in the opened collar of the button shirt. It only drew his attention, once more, to those breasts, larger on the 5'7" and slightly thin woman than he'd have imagined. Not that he was complaining though. _

_She was so preoccupied by her irritation that she almost involuntarily took a step towards him. It had to be involuntary; it wasn't like she really wanted to be near him. Right?? She wasn't so sure; if she were she didn't have time to think about it. "Stop calling me Minnie Pearl Monkee Boy." _

"_Minnie." Greg's hand lifted to her face, his slightly calloused fingers skimming the translucently smooth contours of her cheekbones, jawbones and chin. He smiled as she breathed a hot, stilted breath on those fingers when they ended on her lips. _

_What had that man done to her? She was rapidly moving from irate to hypnotized, her mind replaying, over and over, the feel of his fingers along her face. Oh it felt sooo good…so much better than if she wasn't mad at him._

"_Monkee." Leah whispered as her large luminous eyes, so grey they were practically lavender, sparkling with fire and framed with infinitely-long lashes, looked up to meet his own. What she saw in his darkened baby blues made her stomach flip and her heart ache. Without even realizing it, Leah's inflamed eyes let down her guard and just surrendered everything she ever felt for Greg. It wasn't until she saw the softening of Greg's face that Leah realized the resigned sigh she emitted was the 'all clear' signal; she let him lean forward and take her mouth more gently this second time. It was as if her heart told her, 'It was meant to happen; it was BOUND to happen. Just let it happen. You might actually enjoy it.'_

_This time it was a kiss accepted by the recipient, then quickly accelerated into something more reckless and passionate. Within no time Leah admitted his tongue's entrance, and it was like fire through her body, its hot slickness dancing with her own. Leah barely felt the tingle of his hands as they circled her trim waist, coming to rest on the small of her back…and when exactly did she wrap her arms around his neck? Her fingers had found their way into his thick though somewhat course dark locks, rubbing the base of his head. He moaned as he pulled his smooth mouth from hers and trailed kisses along the underside of her jaw and to her ear. Greg's mouth ended on her lobe, chewing gently and smiling when she groaned with feverish delight. _

"_Say my name."_

_Leah's eyes remained closed as she whimpered, "Monkee Boy." _

_Greg growled and tugged on the lobe playfully with his teeth. "My real name. Say my real name."_

_She gulped as shivers from his hot breath on her wet skin went down her spine. "Greg."_

"_Oh God Leah…" he groaned and pulled her even closer, his obvious desire stabbing her belly. "Come with me…"_

"_Excuse me? Are you two done in here? We have a class coming in." A deep voice called, breaking the moment. They pulled apart to find a group of students standing at the back of the lecture hall, amused and curious looks on their faces. _

_Greg sighed and turned to her. His request was uttered low and feverish, so only Leah could hear it. "I still have some papers in my office for you. Come with me." Leah was so dazed she consented, not fully understanding any possible negative ramifications of actually being alone…in a tiny office…with him. _

_*****_


	11. MP Chapter 10

**CHAPTER 10**

"Don't tell me you went WITH him…" Cuddy asked. By this time they were sitting on the edges of their seats. Leah nodded. "Why?"

"You hated him!" Jaymie sat, enthralled, listening to the conversation.

Leah shook her head. "No, I didn't hate him. At all."

"So you loved him."

"No Jaymie, I didn't love him. At first I hated him because he made my life a living hell. House was teaching that class more than Farty Arty, and whenever House was there he'd pick on me, from that very first day in class, when we named him 'Monkee Boy'. At first I DREADED going to that class."

"What changed?" Billy asked.

"I started standing up for myself. I knew I couldn't get out of my class since I needed it for my scholarship so I had to defend myself. I wouldn't let him get my goat no longer, and I won the respect of my classmates. They hated him too, only because he basically told them he was better than they were. Sure, he was smarter but he wasn't much older than us. If he had been it might've been a different story. It was when I did stand up for myself that, not only did his behavior intensify but it was like someone had turned on an electrical current between us. It was more intense than anything I'd ever known before, or since. I did, and do love, Jacob. But that passion that was there with Greg wasn't there between Jake and I." Leah sighed and looked at her hands. "In the end, Jayme, I was very attracted but love definitely didn't enter anywhere, at least on my part."

"Yes Leah but…" Billy looked at her. "…you were flirting back. You sent him signals even if you didn't know you were doing it. You loved the back and forth, the volley of words. I saw when you and Jake did it, though he was nothing compared to Dr. House. You really enjoyed it. My guess would be that Dr. House is completely incapable of having a healthy flirting relationship so he resorts to barbs and name calling. And by you sleeping with him it validated his behavior. When you broke off all contact, the guy probably didn't know what happened. If it were me I'd be pretty pissed off at you."

"BILLY!" His wife chastised him.

Leah shook her head then ran her hand through her hair. "No, no, it's ok. He's probably right. I don't know. I'm just as confused now as I was back then, only now he's your doctor, and my actions back then could be effecting your health right now." Leah bent her head and grabbed at her hair, as if yanking it out.

"I don't believe it. You slept with him all those years ago and you didn't tell me??"

Leah looked up. "I know Lisa. It was bad; I was bad for not telling you. Of course, I didn't learn until later just how it had changed my life."

"What do you mean?"

"Do you really want me to finish this?"

Jaymie nodded. "I want to know what happened after you left the lecture hall."

"I think you know what happens next."

"That doesn't mean I don't want to hear it from you."

Leah sighed. "Fine…" She closed her eyes and drifted back, again leaving out some details for them but it wasn't hard since everything about that day was as vivid all these years later as when they actually happened…

_*****_


	12. Chapter 11

**CHAPTER 11**

_Within five minutes they were across campus and in his tiny assistant's office of the medical department. Since it was the late afternoon on the Friday before the break, the place was almost completely deserted, and whoever was there didn't notice their entrance. Greg and Leah had their hands all over each other as they stood against the door and he turned the lock. She could've said no; she had time during their frantic trip to his office. But she didn't want to. She'd felt so much from his looks, his words, his mere presence, that she wanted this physical manifestation of that. In short, she wanted HIM, no matter how much she really disliked him. If only just this once. "Ssshhh…" she moaned as his groans at her actions with her hands intensified. She pulled down his lightweight leather jacket then removed her soft denim one, dumping both jackets on top of a nearby chair. "…we'll get in trouble if we're caught."_

_His smooth face was in her neck when his hazy blue eyes looked at her seriously. "Do you want to me to stop? I will if you want."_

_She shook her head before her brain could finally break through and tell her to say yes. "I just don't want to get into trouble." Leah shuddered as his hands moved under her shirt, teasing her skin. When they moved up to cup her breasts he froze and she asked, "What?"_

"_I had no…idea…" He looked into her eyes, removed his hands and quickly worked the buttons from their slips. When her denim shirt was completely open and she'd removed it, House almost gasped aloud. He had to restrain himself; he didn't want to sound too eager after all. "My God those puppies are enormous."_

_She looked down at her breasts then back up to him, where he was drooling all over her. She chuckled. "You've got quite the way with words there Greg," she whispered. _

"_I always knew they were big but I had no idea…" his hands slipped behind her where he unhooked the undergarment. She threw it off to the side and watched his reaction. _

"_Good? Bad?"_

"_Sh!t, those have got to be, what, Ds?"_

"_Why don't you find out for yourself?" Leah muttered as they backed to the nearby desk. The office was very tiny, only big enough for a wood desk on one side, a credenza six feet away and a tiny window. When she landed on top of the desk, she leaned back and pulled her legs apart so he could stand between them. His low groan vibrated against her soft skin as he buried his face between her breasts, breathing in her essence and wondering how she could smell so much better than he'd ever dreamt. Leah threw her head back and gasped, shivering through her sweat as his hands cupped her breasts and squeezed._

"_Yep, definitely Ds…"_

*****

"It wasn't even that structured, or formal, I guess you could say. It happened several times on that desk and we were never caught. When we were done he walked me to my car and promised to call me the next day. It instantly became my 'mistake'. I knew I had no future with him and I wanted something more than what I _thought_ he could give me. But the funny thing was that, when it happened, I wasn't surprised. It was like it was supposed to happen. I guess when the boiler's pressure is too high it has to burst."

"Did he call you?" Leah nodded at Jaymie's question. "And…so? What happened next?"

"I told him I'd see him after break. I went back to Chicago."

"Did you?"

"Did I what Lisa?"

"Did you see him after break?"

Leah shook her head. "No, I didn't. He called but I'd decided, over the break, not to have anything further to do with him. I screened my calls and never did talk to him again. I'd thought I'd have to dodge him around campus but that didn't happen. I'd later heard through the med school grapevine that he'd gotten his residency away from the campus so I never saw him again. Until now obviously."

"Why not?"

"Well, Jaymie, I met Jake a week into that next semester. I was completely taken with Jake…"

"Liar!" Cuddy said, shaking her head. "I know you were very taken with Jake but you hadn't met him until after the semester began. You intentionally avoided House. Why? Did you regret what you did?"

"Yes but, like I said, I figured it would've just happened anyway. It was a mistake and I didn't want him thinking I had any real feelings for him because I didn't. Looking back now I know it wasn't the right thing…" her words drifted off, carried away with her thoughts.

"Of course it wasn't the right thing!" Cuddy looked upset. While she was forever annoyed with her less-than-stellar employee, she was also protective of him to a certain extent. Besides, this behavior was completely uncharacteristic of her best friend and mentor. In all her memory, Cuddy could never recall Leah acting in such a manner to anyone. _Of course, this is House she's talking about but House didn't drive her away. Something else did. What?_ "Wait a minute. There's something else going on here. What?"

Leah look hesitant but realized she'd get into even more trouble if she held back so she just came right out with it. "Lisa, remember when I lost that first baby?"

Jaymie's eyes were wide and she looked confused. "B…bu…but…you lost a baby and I didn't know about it?!?!?!" Leah nodded. "When? And why didn't you ever tell me?" Leah looked away. "What do you mean, 'that first baby'?"

Cuddy answered for Leah. "Leah miscarried. She got pregnant in college, then twice more after they married but miscarried all of them. It turned out she has a subseptate uterus."

"What's that?" Jaymie looked incredulous.

"It's where the top, or superior, portion of my uterus is divided by a partition-like growth. It happens during embryonic development so it's something I've had my entire life. Have you ever heard of a deviated septum?" Jaymie nodded. "It's the same sort of thing, but it's only the top portion. It causes miscarriages because there's not enough room for the baby to develop. I never knew I had it until Jake and I lost the third baby, just like the others, at the beginning of the second trimester." Leah sighed and her voice went quiet as she tried to hold back her tears. Even now, all these years later she'd had such difficulty talking about it. That's why she never did. "I always lost them at the beginning of the second trimester." She paused. "Surgery is an option and they said it would in no way effect my menstrual cycles or endanger my life. I didn't really need it, unless it we desperately wanted children. By that time we'd just gotten you Jaymes…" she smiled at her adopted daughter. "…and I just couldn't go through the surgery. I didn't want to chance anything. Besides, you became our pride and joy Jaymie. Now I look back and wonder if I should've tried harder, if I should've had the surgery so I could have just a little piece of Jake around. But…" Leah looked at everyone who was listening intently. "…that's the past. What's done is done."

Jaymie was livid and asked her question again. "Why didn't you ever tell me? I would've understood."

"Because it was something your father and I never discussed. When the first one happened, we dealt with it the best we could and moved on. But we were so young, way too young to deal with something like that. I mean, we had both started medical school and had so much ahead of us. It then became the 'thing you didn't talk about'. By the third miscarriage, we were in so much emotional pain that we actually came to an understanding. We'd agreed that if we were to speak about the subject at all, it would be very rare and it only between the two of us. It helped to make the marriage stronger but I know Jake went to the grave with it and I'm still dealing with it. Besides, we didn't want it to be something that everyone took pity on us about. All of the pregnancies happened before we got you. But you and your mother were like family to us and, when she died, you became our daughter. You filled that place in our hearts that we needed filled."

"You just said you'd started medical school. How long had you known Daddy before the first one? You must've been very young. I mean, you were pretty young when you adopted me." Jaymie asked, hurt still evident on her face.

"A couple months after I started dating Jake." Leah looked at Cuddy and hesitated. _Just spit it out, before you lose your nerve. You should tell them; it's been long enough._ "Jake always assumed that first baby was his; he was ready to take his 'responsibility', as he always thought, to be a father. Of course, he never actually counted the days to see if it was him…"

Cuddy's eyes widened and she pointed to the door. "You mean…" Leah nodded. "House was the father?!?!"

Leah nodded again. "Yes. Jake assumed it was his because he never knew about that day with Greg. No one ever knew, not even my parents. They all assumed it was Jake's."

"Why didn't you tell House? He had every right to know!"

"Lisa, by the time I'd gone to the doctor and we did the math, I was in love with Jake and not about to destroy that relationship. He was the best thing that had ever happened to me and I couldn't take the chance I'd lose him. Of course, the longer I was with Jake the more I understood that if I'd just Jake he would've understood; the baby wasn't the result of an unfaithful tryst. It happened before I ever met Jake. But I wasn't thinking properly." Leah rubbed her eyes and combed her hands through her now dry, if not a bit bedraggled, hair. She brought her hands together in front of her with a loud CLAP. "By the time I truly realized what an idiotic thing it was to not tell Jake that he wasn't the father, it was many years later. How could I go back, after so much time, and say, 'Oh yeah, by the way: you know that baby we lost in college? Yeah, about that: it was really some jerk's I had a one-night-stand with a month before I met you.'? Not hardly. So I kept my mouth quiet."

"You didn't have to tell me you were coming. You could've come into town and I would've been none the wiser." It was obvious how hurt Cuddy was that she'd kept everything from her.

"You know I couldn't do that to you."

"But you knew I'd bring you here if I knew you were in town." Leah nodded.

"I think that means you wanted to see Dr. House. Am I right?" Jaymie asked, watching her adopted mother. Her eyes widened. "You still feel something for him, don't you?"

Leah stood up quickly and walked to the opposite side of the room, keeping her back to them. "Don't be ridiculous."

Jaymie gasped. "You DO still care for him! Have you thought of him?"

"Oh come on! That is stupid. Of course not. He can't have feelings for me; I can't have feelings for him. I mean, the guy is probably physically incapable of having feelings. I'm sure he was born without them or something. Besides, I never loved him."

Her daughter shook her head. "Yes but you lusted after him. That can be just as powerful. I don't buy that, not for a million years. You can't fool me. I'm sure you've thought of him, especially after Daddy died. But I say you're even: you had your secret, Daddy had his." Billy sighed and covered his face in response to his wife's words.

Leah quickly turned, clearly surprised she knew about that. She looked from wife to husband and back to wife. "Which secret?"

The younger woman looked panicked. "Oh...um…uh-oh." She turned to her husband. "Oops. I wasn't supposed to say anything."

"You and your big mouth," Her husband sighed and shook his head. He turned to Leah. "I don't know if we're the ones to tell you but Jake was having an affair."

Her face didn't change as she asked, "How did you two find out?"

"Billy and I took one night to get away from the ranch." Jaymie pointed to Leah. "It was that weekend you were in Seattle for that Infectious Disease seminar about two weeks before Daddy died. We'd decided to go to Casper for a romantic getaway and, as we pulled into the hotel parking lot we saw Daddy and Lauren O'Neill going in, hand in hand. Billy tried to stop me from confronting them but I couldn't let Daddy get away without him knowing I knew. At least he acted ashamed; he swore he'd tell you. Did he?" Leah shook her head. "But you don't look surprised."

"I found out six months ago. The idiot kept a datebook hidden in the storage garage. I loved my husband dearly but he was a clueless jerk sometimes."

"Which explains why you have feelings for House." Cuddy said smiling just a slight smile as Leah shook her head no. "If I remember correctly, you were always attracted to jerks of varying degree. Remember Brian, the boy you broke up with just before that infamous semester? He was a bigger jerk than House…and I didn't realize that was possible. And Jake? He was a very good guy but a real numbnut sometimes. I can't even picture how House would be if you two ended up together…how exactly would a happy House look? I shutter to think. But I think that, maybe, you were the one that got away."

Leah didn't want to think about that. Shaking her head, she went over to Jaymie and kissed her forehead. "I'm sorry, Jaymie, that I didn't tell you. I'm sorry if this is affecting your care. I will go talk to him and see if I can spare you from his silver tongue."

"Are you going to tell him about the baby?" Leah shook her head. "Why not?"

"It was ancient history. It needs to stay buried." Leah ignored her daughter's violent head shake. "I'll let you go. I need to get some fresh air."

"But…" Leah held her hand up and turned from Jaymie.

"Please. Just leave it." With that, Leah looked away from everyone and left the room, dejection written everywhere on that woman.

Jaymie turned to Cuddy with an imploring glance. Cuddy shrugged. "I'll see what I can do but your mother is as stubborn as House is mean. There may not be anything I can do." With that, Cuddy gave her a hug then left. Jaymie had an idea. Looking at Billy she said, "Honey, I guess I'm going to be here awhile. Can you get me some real food, not this so-called hospital fare? I'm starving."

He shrugged. "Sure. What do you want?"

"Oh, just get my favorite." With a kiss and a promise of promptness, Billy was out of there. When he had turned the corner, Jaymie picked up the hospital phone on the table beside her bed.

"Operator."

"Dr. House's office."

"One moment please."

*****

House leaned across the desk when the phone rang and rolled his eyes at the caller ID. That Jaymie girl was probably calling to complain about something. Curiosity overtook him, though, and he snatched up the phone on the fourth ring. "Yes Rash Girl. What did you want?"

PAUSE. "Mom was pregnant with your child."

At first House didn't know what to say or do. It was as if his brain couldn't process the words. "If you think that's going to make me any treat you any better, you've got another thing coming."

"No, I mean it. I know about you and her." House groaned. "She got pregnant but miscarried, something about her uterus being deviated in the superior? I don't really understand."

House was quiet. He didn't know whether to believe her; more specifically he had no idea why she called him with this information. "Why are you telling me this?"

"I never knew anything until today. I knew nothing about you and nothing about what happened between you two. I never knew why she could never have children. But now it's important that you know because she was never going to tell you. You have a right to know. According to Mom, Daddy always assumed he was the father and she never told anyone it was yours. Look," Jaymie sighed. "I love my adopted mother. She gave me more than I can possibly express. But she's lonely, and I always wondered why she's never dated after Daddy died. I thought at first it was because of his death but now I wonder if it's because of you."

House was speechless. He didn't know why because he always had SOMETHING to say about everything so he hung up on her, abruptly and without any warning. Dr. Gregory House had a lot to sort out but one thing was for sure: he wasn't going to let Leah just slip away, at least without an explanation. He was going to make her explain why she put him through so much; why she never told him about the baby (if it were true) and why she's back now. For real this time.

*****


	13. MP Chapter 12

**CHAPTER 12**

It was going to take quite awhile for all of Jaymie's test results to come back, so the patient, patient's family, friends, doctors and pain-in-the-ss primary doctor hunkered down for the long haul. In the meantime, House wouldn't let Jaymie leave the hospital.

That first overnight stay was hard for everyone: Billy didn't want to leave his wife alone in the hospital; Jaymie didn't want him to go; and Leah was a nervous wreck. Finally, Cuddy agreed to give Jaymie a double room so Billy could sleep in his wife's room. Leah was happy about this because she knew Jaymie would be happier. Besides, the young married couple belonged together and she wasn't about to be the one to keep them apart. That night, Cuddy was planning to leave early but, just as Leah and Cuddy were getting ready to walk out Cuddy got paged to another section of the hospital. Sighing with resignation, Cuddy asked, "Why don't you wait in my office? I'll be back whenever I can."

Leah shrugged. "Ok. I'll sit at your desk and pretend to be you."

Cuddy grinned. "See you in a few." Leah went to her office, placed her belongings on the chair nearest the door then sat down in Cuddy's office chair with a sigh and turned around, finding the view out the window very interesting. She was so engrossed that she didn't realize someone was behind her until she smelt the faint whiff of sterile bandages and raw musk. She knew it was House but waited before either turning around or saying anything. _**I must be going insane; that smell is doing something to me. I'm not sure I like it. Ok, ok: five years between relationships probably wasn't a good idea. Look what's happened! I'm finding a repulsive lizard attractive. Focus woman.**_

"Why, Davey Jones, I never knew you enjoyed the view from here."

"Not usually but it's a whole helluva lot better now."

She rolled her eyes, turned the chair around and nearly screamed with fright. He was bending down, staring at her, invading her personal space. "Monkee, is this some form of cheap flattery? I will have you know it's not working."

"I don't flatter. I do have an ulterior motive though."

"And that would be…?"

"I want us to make sweet, sweet love."

"Oh brother…" She pushed him away so she could get up and move around him. "You are a piece of work. You can't even make that sound sincere. You've probably never made 'sweet, sweet love' in your entire life; it absolutely wasn't sweet when we did it." She stopped on the other side of the office, glaring at him.

"Well, then, what was it back then?" He stood there, not moving, thumping his cane.

"Wrong. A mess. A mistake."

"It wasn't my technique; I've been given a sex gift."

Leah's eyebrow rose but she chose not to comment. "It wasn't your technique."

"I was just that good, huh??"

"Why do you ask now?"

House lied. "That wasn't a question." Leah's eyebrow rose in a disbelieving way. He shrugged. "You just never told me back then. I didn't hear from you."

"I was going back to Chicago for Christmas."

"And you forgot to call."

Leah hung her head. _**How do I tell him I knew it was a mistake and didn't want to talk to him?**_ _**Or is that true? Did I really think it was a mistake?? **_"I met my husband that next semester."

"Well good for you; you found yourself a Jethro Bodine who swept you away and gave you everything but a cement pond."

"You aren't HALF the man Jake was."

"Pardon me if I prefer eating cow to roping it." He hobbled to her as she took steps back, moving to stand behind a chair, presumably to keep something large between them.

"He was a large animal vet."

"I don't give a flying fvck if he was a rodeo clown. This is about you and me."

"What about you and me?"

"Look, I'm willing to let bygones be bygones. I'll forget all about how you left things and let's just have some sex, what do you say?" Leah's eyes widened with horror and her mouth dropped. House shrugged. "We can forget about the past. Besides, it might just make your precious Jaymakins' treatment go that much smoother."

Unbelievably, her mouth could fall open wider…and it did. At first the only noises she made were squeaks of horror. Once her mind cleared, she cleared her throat and shook her head furiously, as if to perhaps get rid of those words. Alas, they weren't going anywhere. "Did you just blackmail me? I have sex with so you can 'forget' the past, thereby making it easier for you to DO YOUR JOB…" her voice rose with each word "…and save her life?"

House looked away in a brief moment of introspection. "Blackmail's such a strong word. Let's call it an agreement, shall we?"

"Are those the exact words you used with Farty Arty that first year of med school?"

"It worked."

"Just like you expected it to work now." Her comment wasn't a question; it was matter-of-factly.

"Of course. It always works for me."

"I'm surprised you're not running for President." He opened his mouth to comment but she held her hand up to stop him. "That's really too bad because your team is going to work for Jaymie, whether you like it or not. You know you can't fire them; all of you work for Lisa and she can do whatever she wants. For some reason I think she's going to side with me. Don't ask me how I know; I just know. Look, I'm going to make this very easy for you…" House's eyebrow rose at her words but he was fascinated to hear what she had to say. "…you're going to do your job; Jaymie gets better; we go home. Simple, efficient, clean, no strings attached. Now, if you'll excuse me…" She stepped away from the chair and walked to the office door, "…I think you should leave now." She stood in front of the door to prevent its closing and pointed the opposite direction, indicating he needed to take her suggestion and walk through it.

But, of course, House didn't move. He was absolutely fascinated with this woman. House knew it was genuinely stupid to make a request like he'd made, he had to try…and he had to gauge her reaction. While it was every bit as what he imagined her reaction to be, House was also a bit hurt though he'd never allow himself to think that way. After all, she was a beautiful woman and he was a very lonely man who had degraded himself by preferring the company of paid 'companions', so to speak. Deep down that wasn't what Dr. Gregory House wanted but, given his current relationship status (or lack thereof) he had to do something. "And what if I don't?"

"I know judo."

"And I have a cane."

Leah inwardly sighed. She was getting tired with arguing with House. "Look, Dr. House…"

"Greg."

"…I respect your medical expertise. You're an exceptional doctor and I'm glad that someone with your medical knowledge is working on Jaymie's case…"

"…but…"

"…but leave me alone."

House limped closer to the woman. In her favor she didn't move as she stood straight, waiting for whatever onslaught he would throw at her. "I can't do that and you know you don't mean that."

"I think that you should…"

"I'm sorry sweetie," Cuddy's voice cut through the tension in the room and she caught onto it immediately. Seeing their stand-off, Cuddy sighed. "What's going on here?"

Leah looked at her friend. "Your star employee here just propositioned me: if I have sex with him he'll treat Jaymie without so much as a snarky retort."

Cuddy's mouth dropped as she turned to House. "Please tell me you didn't."

"I didn't."

"So you did!!"

"And what if I did?"

"I should fire you, right here, right now."

"But you won't."

"You don't know that."

"Yes I do. Look, I'm trying to speed through this whole 'sexual tension' thing. Eventually Rogaine and I are going to do the nasty and she's gonna love it and want us to be more but I won't. If we can put that behind us now then it won't be a problem later. I'm thinking ahead here."

"You egotistical son-of-a-bi…" Leah stepped toward him but Cuddy held her back. "…let me at him!"

"See, that's what I'm talking about. She already wants me."

"Yes she does…" Cuddy rolled her eyes as she exerted more force to keep Leah from pounding him to oblivion. "…she wants your head on a spike."

"She wouldn't be the first."

Cuddy sighed. She was really getting tired of shielding the general public from her own personal hospital nightmare. If he weren't so brilliant at what he did the guy wouldn't be anywhere near her hospital. Truth of the matter was he brought in donors, as amazing as that was. Cuddy turned to Leah. "Could you step outside for a moment? I think I need to have a conversation with my employee."

"But…"

"Please."

Leah, seeing that Cuddy was right, nodded and grabbed her stuff. Of course, House wasn't going to let her leave without having the last word. "Call me. And I like red lace."

"Leah, ignore him. Just keep walking." When Leah exited the office, Cuddy turned to House. "Is this your grown-up way of yanking on her pigtails or stealing her lunch? You two aren't in grade school; if you like her just tell her."

"She looks like a good lay. Why would I, of all people, pass that up?"

As much as Cuddy hated hearing her friend reduced to being 'a good lay', she also knew House. If anyone could deflect it was House but she could read him so much better than he thought she could. And what she was reading said that whatever feelings he might've had for her before they saw each other were still there, simmering beneath the surface. _**So…it's more than just a simple crush; 25 years ago was more than 'a good lay' for him.**_ He either didn't want to address it or didn't know how. "Why are you really doing this?"

"We probably won't get the results of the tests until late tomorrow afternoon."

"Do you know what Jaymie has?" He nodded. "Are you going to tell me?" House shook his head. "Why not?"

"Revealing a secret is only sweet when it's at the right time, in front of a large audience. It makes you sound big and important. Why would I give that up?"

"You've gotta sound smart in front of Leah. I get that. I just hope that your delay of the diagnosis isn't going to cause problems."

"It shouldn't. She isn't going to die, if that's what you mean."

"In the meantime…"

"In the meantime Cuddy, neither Rogaine nor myself are going anywhere, and I will not pussyfoot around her. This is who I am and she'll just have to deal with it."

"What happens when whatever this is you feel for her grows into something you can't control? What will you do then?"

"If there WAS anything there it won't reach that point. I'm the epitome of control."

"I'm sure that's what you tell your Vicodin bottle every morning." Cuddy turned away from House, grabbed her own items and walked to the exit in search of her friend. House grabbed said bottle and chugged down a pill, all the while thinking about her words.

*****


	14. MP Chapter 13

Yet another story I am shamefully overdue on posting. Anyway, I will finish posting it, starting now!!

**CHAPTER 13**

The next day the results of the tests came back but the ducklings were having problems deciphering what they could mean. They had many questions but House, in a particularly annoying mood, wasn't too keen on helping them.

"There's mild proteinuria," 13 said, reading the results.

"Did you read her chart? She's been on antibiotics which causes protein in the urine."

"She's got thrombocytopenia." Kutner threw out.

House grabbed her chart. "A lowered blood platelet count." House read the number. "105,000. She's also low on B-12. Give her a B-12 shot and her platelet count will improve."

"There's hematuria," Taub read.

"Blood in the urine. How much?" House asked as he continued to read the results.

"Miniscule." Taub answered.

House looked up. He knew the number he just wanted his duckies to tell him. "How miniscule?"

"You-can't-see-it-miniscule."

"It could be the end of a UTI. The cephalosporin she's already taking for the bacterial pneumonia is probably already clearing it up as well. Get a urine culture."

"UTI? That's quite a leap." 13 said, shaking her head slightly.

"Look at what she's taking." He pointed to the chart. "Thiazide diuretics; my guess would be for hypertension. Jaymakins just hasn't found the proper feng shui for her living room. UTI is very likely because thiazide diuretics are basically water pills. She's constantly urinating. And she's obviously sexually active; if I were a true fan of 'Project Runway' and I had a chance to ride bareback with the Bucking Bronco Billy I'd be sexually active too."

The ducklings rolled their eyes and Kutner's face wrinkled. "You do know you should use a saddle."

"Saddles kill the thrill. Now…" the ducklings practically gagged at the image. "…give her a B-12 shot; do a urine culture for the UTI and a biopsy for the purpura." They just stared at him for a moment and House sighed, once again, because of his disappointment at their stupidity. "The biopsy will give you what you need."

"What are we looking for?"

House sighed again. Sometimes he understood what Einstein must've felt, being vastly intellectually superior to those around him. "Fine. I'll give you children a hint." He stood up and went to the door.

"Where are you going?" 13 yelled after him.

"It's time for a Brazillian. Bobbie does the best waxing." House yelled from the hallway.

Taub sighed. "Do we follow him?"

"Of course." 13 said, grabbing her patient folder and jogging after House, who was clearly on his way to Jaymie's room. The rest of the team caught up with House as he stood inside, eyeing the young girl who sat alone in the room.

"Where's the rest of your entourage?"

Jaymie's eyebrow rose at House's question. "Billy had to make a phone call; Aunt Lise is working and Mom stepped out for some fresh air. What's going on? Why are all of you here?"

House stepped further into the room and grabbed her chart, which was hanging from the foot of her bed. He made a point to flip through it dramatically and hold it up. "So, Jaymes…" Kutner's eyebrow rose at House's sudden and rather casually intimate reference to Jaymie, "…you have hypertension?"

She nodded, still trying to figure out why the entire team was there. "Two weeks ago I was prescribed thiazide diuretics."

"What's going on?" Leah's rather agitated voice suddenly broke through the anticipation that House was trying to create.

"It seems your carefree daughter is a Nervous Nellie. Two weeks ago she was prescribed thiazide diuretics, which she takes everyday."

"I know. Dr. Crispin prescribed them."

"Just how do you know that, Captain Rogaine?"

"Horse, if I were to stop you right here and try to get you to pronounce my name correctly, would it make any difference?"

"No. And you just called me 'Horse'."

"I did? I thought that was your name. And I thought that's why people called you a Horse's ss. Damn. I'll have to think of another reason for such a mean name. Wait, just give me a moment. I might find one if I think REALLY hard…"

House smirked. "How do you know about her prescription?"

"I'm Dr. Crispin's lover and he mentioned it one night after sex."

"You're sleeping with one of your employees?"

"He's itching for a more senior position."

"And you scratched back."

Jaymie's face contorted with disgust. "Eww. Dr. Crispin's like 70 years old. Must you talk about him like that?" The younger doctors snickered and House rolled his eyes.

"Of course not. I'm very sorry Jay." Leah looked at House. "I know that Dr. Crispin prescribed them because I'm her mother. She told me what he prescribed after the appointment. She's been a lot calmer in the last two weeks than in quite awhile."

"What's going on?" Another male voice entered the fray. Jaymie looked grateful that her husband came to save her from the big, bad scruffy doctor.

"I'll tell you in a moment."

House eyed them for a moment then went back to her chart. "And…" he scanned it in an attempt to, perhaps, look 'doctorly' and 'official' "…you're on a cephalosporin antibiotic for bacterial pneumonia." House didn't even look at Jaymie as she nodded; he was looking at Leah, the smugness oozing from every pore. Her eyebrow rose.

"Yes."

"How long have you been taking that?"

"Five days."

House threw the chart on the rolling table next to the bed and the sound startled the entire room. He began thumping his cane loudly against the floor. "Ok, kids. Can anyone guess why this girl has the red ouchie bumpies? Whoever guesses right gets a prize from House's Fun Chest." The room was silent as the doctors mulled over the mystery. But it didn't take long for Leah to get it. As her mouth opened and her eyes glazed in recognition, House grinned. "It looks like the country lady doctor has the answer for us. Ok, for $500 Mr. Trebek, what does your precious little girl have?"

"It's not a vitamin C deficiency; scurvy is more than purpura. She has no other symptoms of scurvy." Leah held her hand out for the chart, and House took it off the table, almost throwing it at her. "She has hypertension but, since it was a pre-existing condition prior to the purpura, it wasn't a symptom of the purpura. It was a cause."

"Ironically, hypertension is a symptom of what causes the purpura as well." House said, his gaze still lingering on Leah.

13 looked confused. "The cause?"

"That and the pneumonia."

"How can pneumonia and hypertension cause a painful purpura?" Kutner asked.

Leah jumped back in. "A person can develop hypersensitivity vasculitis, or allergic vasculitis, from certain common, and not so common, medications. It's just another type of allergic reaction. The purpura is the manifestation of the reaction. I know that Jaymie hadn't had much penicillin as a kid, and she's never taken thiazides diurites before; both of these medicines are linked to allergic vasculitis. She just got a double whammy of the irritating agents."

"Very good Dr. Quinn." He leaned toward Leah and smirked. "Come by later to pick your prize from the Fun Chest: the pickin's are very good." Leah felt cheap all of the sudden.

"What's the treatment?" Taub asked.

Leah went to stand beside Jaymie and took her hand. The girl looked pleased that it was Leah who solved it, and relieved the doctors seemed to know what was going on.

House rolled his eyes and he looked at Taub. "Antihistamines sometimes work in clearing it up quickly. Take her off all prescriptions."

"Are you sure the antihistamines will work?" Jaymie asked.

"No, worry-wart. But we're taking you off what's giving you the red ouchie bumpies so no need to worry your cute little head. Uncle House will fix you right up."

"And what about the other issues?" 13 asked House who looked upset that she brought it up.

"Shut up! You weren't supposed to say anything; they were going to be a surprise!!"

Leah looked confused. "What other issues?"

13 looked at Jaymie before looking at Leah. "She's got mild thrombocytopenia, hematuria and proteinuria."

Jaymie looked scared and confused. "What are those?"

"Really? All three?" Leah asked and 13 nodded. Leah looked at Jaymie and explained what thrombocytopenia, hematuria and proteinuria meant. She read the chart. "You're low on B-12 which can explain the thrombocytopenia…hmm…you have blood in your urine." She looked at House. "What do you think it is?"

"The amount is very miniscule so my guess would be the end stages of a UTI," Taub offered when House didn't answer at first.

Leah nodded. "Makes sense; a urinary tract infection could explain the blood in your urine. But, since you're already on an antibiotic, it's probably cleared most of it up. The antibiotic can cause the protein in your urine."

"We'll give you a shot of B-12 for the thrombocytopenia and a urine culture to test for a UTI." Kutner said.

"Meanwhile, as you kids are playing country doctor to the uber cute Jaymakins…" House was obviously upset the attention was away from him. He looked at Taub. "Take her off the medications, put her on antihistamines, and see what happens. The ouchie red bumpy things will clear up and when they do I'll know I was right way before we needed the results."

Jaymie looked relieved. "And if it is a UTI, what do I do? Can I go back on the cephalosporin?"

"I wouldn't, honey," Leah said. "We don't know which of the medications caused the purpura, and we don't want to risk it. It would have to depend on the intensity of the urine culture."

Jaymie sighed. "How long will it take for the purpura to clear up??"

"Few days," House said. To be honest he was quite proud of the lady nephrologist. Allergic vasculitis isn't an easy diagnosis for most doctors. "But you can't leave town until I release you." He gave his cane one last hard THUMP before moving toward the door.

"Thank you Doctor House." Jaymie said.

He stopped but didn't turn around. "Don't thank me. Thank Rogaine. She solved the case." House threw a look over his shoulder to Leah then, setting his jaw, practically ran as fast as a man with a cane could run.

Leah, not realizing what she was doing until she was out of the room and on his heels, stopped House just outside his office door, which was on the opposite side of the same floor as Jaymie's room. She snatched away the hand she'd unknowingly placed on his arm to stop him. He did stop but seemed reluctant to turn around so she spoke to him there, in that hallway. "Um…" she cleared her throat. It was clear what she had to do next was difficult for her. "…thank you for helping Jaymie."

He kept his eyes focused straight ahead. "Look, I was forced to take this case by Cuddy. I really don't care if it gives you more time with your precious Jaymie; I did what I was told. End of story." He turned away and entered his office.

She watched him sit down, clearly trying to ignore her. Leah, taking the proverbial bull-by-the-horns, suddenly stormed into his office and stood on the other side of the desk, glaring at him. He looked up, sighed at her expression, then leaned back in his chair and clasped his hands together on his stomach. Inadvertently she was reminded, once again, what an incredible specimen this man was. Quickly shaking the thought away, Leah glared at House. "Look, I know you're still upset about what happened a long time ago. I get that. But must you treat her like that?"

"What? I solved the case and you can go back to the wilderness. Or you can stay here. I don't care. I treat everyone like this."

"So was I just another sexual experience to you?"

"Sure." He paused then his face broke with a cynical grin. "Ah, that's it: you thought you were someone special. Well, I'm very happy to inform you that you were nothing to me and what we did oh so long ago just happened. I never even thought twice about it. In fact, if you hadn't brought it up I wouldn't have remembered it. Bye." He turned from her and picked up a folder from the credenza behind him.

Leah didn't know if she wanted to slap him for being an ss, walk out of the room because she felt stupid for bringing it up, or kiss him to remind him that he wasn't fooling her. If she could do all three she would've but, since she saw the opportunity to leave without a confrontation, she turned on her heel and walked out.

Had she turned around to see the look on his face at her retreating back she would've felt validated for being right and feeling guilty for hurting him all those years before.

*****


	15. Chapter 14

**CHAPTER 14**

It didn't take long for the doctors to determine that Jaymie actually had what had been a UTI but was almost cleared up. They told her that since she was off the diuretics, she would be fine but to drink cranberry juice. That would help. So, Jaymie had been released from the hospital, having been told she didn't need to stay there. "You need to come back in five days, just to make sure the rash has plenty of time to clear up. But if it gets worse or if you start exhibiting other unexplained symptoms, come back sooner." Kutner said, writing in her chart.

For the next four days, she and Billy took it easy, exploring the city at their leisure but always coming back to Cuddy's house for dinner.

Leah went ahead and went to the conference. She was surprised by the reception: people who knew, and didn't know her alike, wanted to talk to her and learn more about her work. She even learned about a fundraiser in her honor that Cuddy was holding at the hospital. It would be on a Saturday, just days away, and she was expected to attend.

"Oh Lisa," Leah said the night before Jaymie was to go back for follow-up tests. It was the Monday before the fundraiser, which was five days away. They were at a Dim Sum restaurant, and Leah was having second thoughts about the party. "I hate grown-up, evening work parties. They're dull; there's usually no dancing; and everyone talks shop. You know that; why did you do it? WHEN did you do it?"

"The day you called I made some calls to the organizer of the conference. She knew you were coming and was thrilled with my idea of a party in your honor. We've been planning it for over a week, and we've had a lot of good response. The best part is that the proceeds of the fundraiser go directly to your clinic in Wyoming."

Leah brightened with that. "Really?? Oh Lise…that's amazing! How can I ever thank you?"

"First off you can give me some pictures of the clinic so you can show everybody when you give your speech."

Leah's smile dropped. "Excuse me? Speech? Nobody said anything about a speech."

"Everybody will want to know about your clinic. Besides, the more you talk about it the more money you'll get for the clinic. Come on: if you just tell them everything like you did when I first picked you up, you'll do great. Oh, and you can thank me by coming with me to New York to pick out a dress. You don't have anything and we can't have the VIP in dress Wrangler's and her best Stetson." Lisa looked at Jaymie, who was clearly thrilled for her mother. "And Jaymie and Billy are invited to the party as well. In fact, I thought the four of us could go to New York and spend some time shopping. My niece Becky works for an architectural firm and has an amazing loft. She's kindly offered her digs to put us up. What do you say??"

Jaymie was squealing, much to the chagrin of her infinitely patient husband. "New York City?!? Really?? Just wait until I call Carol."

"Oh God, not Carol…" Billy moaned. Carol was the loud, chatty one. Get Jaymie and Carol going and he knew it would be a long night.

"Come on, Leah, what do you say??"

Leah looked at her family then the hopeful look on her friend's face. Sighing with resignation Leah nodded. "How can I refuse? When do we leave?"

"How about Wednesday, the day after tomorrow? That way we'll spend the night on Wednesday then take the train home on Thursday."

"Ok. Sounds like a plan to me. After Jaymie is pronounced healthy we'll stick around for the party then I really should be getting home."

Cuddy frowned over her dim sum. "So soon? You were going to stay two weeks."

Leah looked down but didn't want to address the real reason she was going home. Over the years, in particularly those first few after their encounter, Leah had thought about House. A lot. He was the one situation she always felt guilty about; she'd always known that situation needed resolution…but Leah had been scared: scared to hurt him, scared to reopen old wounds.

But, in particular, scared _it_ would happen again as a means to resolving the situation.

Either Leah never let herself think that she could be in love with 'Monkee Boy' or she never realized she had been in love with him all those years, but seeing him in the flesh once again brought feelings that terrified the living crap out of her. They were feelings she never had for her beloved Jake, a man she'd given her whole self, body and soul, to. They were violent and heated and insane and hot and all-devouring. They consumed her thoughts, her hormones, her being. For some reason, whenever his cool blue eyes looked in her direction something came over her body and she'd feel her essence, her very core, heat to a temperature she'd only been at one time. College.

Jake had truly her mate in so many ways; so much so she'd managed to repress anything she might've felt for Gregory House.

But Jake was gone; she was there. And _he_ was too.

"It's probably better that I go home early, for everyone involved." Leah hung her head and drank her tea, unaware of the sad look on her friend's face.

*****

Before anyone knew it, Jaymie, Billy…and Leah…were back the next morning at the Princeton-Plainsboro Free Clinic for the follow-up. Kutner smiled when he saw the purpura had cleared. "How are you feeling Jaymie?"

She smiled. "Absolutely wonderful but I do get tense now that I'm off the thiazide diuretics. Can I go back on them?"

"I probably wouldn't, just to be safe."

"But they're nothing but water pills."

"Essentially, yes they are but they are one of the drugs that can cause hypersensitive vasculitis. You actually had a double whammy of drugs that can cause it. You don't want to risk it again because the next time it could be something worse. And because thiazide diuretics are, like you said, water pills, it's the diuretic element of the drug that can make them potentially dangerous. Patients who use thiazide diuretics tend to have lowered potassium levels. It's called hypokalemia. This is dangerous because even a slightly lowered potassium level can cause a slight elevation in blood pressure and occasionally provoke cardiac arrhythmias." He paused. "Didn't your doctor explain any of this to you?" She shook her head. "So you just took it, without any more knowledge?" She nodded and hung her head. Kutner paused. "There's so much over prescribing of medication by doctors that it really doesn't surprise me. But I'm telling you this now, and that's what's important." He continued writing in her chart. "My suggestion would be to evaluate what in your life makes you tense then take a homeopathic route. Try yoga, Pilates, long relaxing walks, less stress with your work."

Jaymie nodded. "Thank you." Kutner stopped writing and smiled, pocketing his pen.

"You're very welcome. Have you been drinking your cranberry juice??" Jaymie nodded. "And? How is that feeling?"

"Since I didn't realize I had a UTI I honestly can't tell any difference."

Kutner shrugged. "It's ok. We'll run another urine culture to check. While we're at it, we do need to know if there's still protein in your urine and if the B-12 shots worked for the thrombocytopenia. I also want to do one last biopsy the area where the purpura is, just in case. I need to see how the tiny blood vessels in the area are functioning."

Jaymie looked a bit worried and turned to Leah who'd remained quiet during the whole explanation. "I don't want to; I hated it the last time."

Leah knew it was important and had to be done. She smiled at Jaymie. "I know but it's just one more time."

"Will you do it?"

Leah looked at Kutner who simply shrugged his shoulders. She looked back at her. "I don't know if they'll let me."

"Just ask Aunt Lise; I'm sure she'll let you."

"I can call her," Kutner pointed to the phone behind him.

Leah shook her head. "No; I'll go find her. Hang tight." Leah stepped out of the exam room and walked across the clinic's foyer. She stopped dead in her tracks: House was standing in Cuddy's office, gesticulating wildly and stopping short of yelling. Cuddy was rolling her eyes and shaking her eyes. _**This might be the best time to interrupt.**_ Pulling herself up straight and forcing her gait to be calm, cooled and collected, Leah marched to the outer office door and yanked it open. When Cuddy saw her she threw Leah a look of 'Please rescue me'. Without taking her eyes from her best friend, Leah walked through the second office door and said, "I've got a request."

House turned and rolled his eyes at Leah. "No, I will NOT go in a three-way with you and Cuddy." Both women groaned. "Talk about awkward. I mean, how would I be able to look at Cuddy at work?"

"Same way you look at me now, like a piece of meat?" Cuddy said, her eyebrow touching the ceiling.

House ignored her and looked at Leah. "I make it a point to not sleep with coworkers, especially those above me."

Leah ignored him. "Dr. Kutner told Jaymie he needed to biopsy the area where the purpura had been. She sort of freaked and consented only if I would do the biopsy. Do you want to come and talk to her?"

"Why's she freaking now? We've poked and prodded her over and over." House asked, thumping his cane against the plus carpet of Cuddy's office.

"Jaymie's a very strong girl but she's had a lot happen in her life, and she'd spent a lot of time in hospitals when her mother died. While that tends to make certain people stronger, it freaks others out. She doesn't know how to handle any of this because the more testing you do the more she thinks she's going to die like her mother did. She's genuinely scared."

Cuddy stood up and nodded. "I'll talk to her."

"And I can stand behind you to hold your breasts up," House snipped. The women turned to him with horrified glances. "You aren't wearing the water bra today and you've gotta bring those babies out of hiding. It'll make the little girl's hubby more cooperative if you flashed him your rack. He'll take you seriously. I know I don't take you seriously when you wear turtlenecks. I mean, how can I?"

Leah ignored him and, turning on her heel, marched out of the office. Cuddy looked at Leah's retreating form then, with a huff, turned to House. "Why must you do that?"

"What?!? I saw a genuine need, and isn't that what this is about? Giving the people what they need? Isn't that why you flash the girls to any and everyone around here? The best homeopathic remedy around." House turned on his own heel and quickly limped out the door in the direction of Leah. Cuddy quickly gathered herself and followed afterwards, where she found House standing with Kutner and 13 across the room from Jaymie, Leah and Billy. It was akin to the medical version of the Alamo.

"Come on; let me do the biopsy," House was saying when Cuddy walked in. The patient and her guests looked at House in horror.

"I wouldn't let you near me with a needle if you were the only other living human being on the planet and you needed my blood to save us both from a deadly disease. I'd rather die than let you near me with anything sharp." Jaymie glared at House.

House's look rivaled that of a horrible B-horror movie actor. "Ouch, that hurt."

Jaymie looked at Cuddy. "Aunt Lise, please let Mom do the biopsy. I don't want it if she can't."

"What's wrong all of the sudden?" House asked, obviously confused.

Billy rubbed his wife's back. "She doesn't like needles."

"But she didn't have a problem last time."

Leah glared at House. "That doesn't matter; what matters now is she's scared and doesn't want to follow through. Not that I blame her; you keep poking and prodding, claiming you're 'exploring'. This is a woman's body, not a coal mine."

Cuddy looked at Leah. "If you want to do it, it's fine with me."

Leah nodded. "Ok. When do you want to do it?"

"As soon as possible," Kutner interrupted. "We can get the results back and you don't have to see this place ever again." He was looking at House when he said those last words.

"Sounds good to me," Jaymie said. She pointed to House. "But I don't want him around."

"I'm the attending; I have to be here."

She shook her head. "Absolutely not."

Leah wasn't completely sure why she said the next words but she thought perhaps it was to show House that she was a good doctor… "Honey, he really should stay. He needs to be around for these types of things."

"He wasn't at the first biopsy."

"I was detained. Idiot here…" House pointed to Kutner with his cane. "…scheduled it during 'Bambi and Kiki's Play Hour'. I couldn't leave, not after the screaming and moaning had started. You might as well not watch porn if you can't see that."

"Do you really want to argue with a man like that?" Leah pointed to House who shot her a 'What's wrong with me?' glance. "He'll be in the corner, shackled and handcuffed."

Jaymie looked at everyone with uncertainty. "Tape his mouth closed."

Cuddy grinned. "Gladly."

Jaymie looked at Billy who nodded. "Just let Leah do it, Jaymes. When we find out you're ok we'll go straight to the airport. How does that sound?"

"Like the best news I've heard since coming to this awful place. Let's just get this over with."

"Hey now…" House looked offended. "…this place ain't so bad. We've got indoor plumbing, electricity and restrooms. What does your hillbilly shack have? An outhouse? Rabbits on wheels running generators? Hand pumps?"

Cuddy looked hurt. "Does that mean you aren't going to the fundraiser? It is in your honor Leah."

Leah looked at House who was studying them oddly.

"What do you mean, fundraiser?"

"There was a memo, House. This Saturday, a Nephrology fundraiser in honor of Leah. You are REQUIRED to come, especially since you're a Nephrologist."

"What kind of fundraiser? A pool party? Sex orgy? Strip poker?"

Cuddy was at a loss, once again, with what to do with House. "Tuxedo. Your hair combed. Deodorant. Give it a try."

Leah, Jaymie and Billy groaned; they'd forgotten about that. House picked up on it very quickly and smiled. "Oh…that means you can't leave yet, doesn't it? Oh this just keeps getting better and better. Forced here against your will by a fundraiser. Now you know how I feel about these things."

Leah looked ready to strangle him but managed to keep her cool. "Ok, everyone, let's get this biopsy done." She turned to House. "Then I won't have to look at your face ever again, hopefully not even on Saturday."

House's eyebrow rose. "You didn't call it a 'nasty' face. Does that mean you like what you see?"

"No…" she shook her head and walked around him to the supply drawers. "…it means I don't want to waste the time or energy standing here calling you names. I have a job to do."

"Nah, I prefer my ladies vertical when they call me names anyway; the names have more meaning when the woman's on top."

Leah looked at House and her sudden realization that the only reason he said it was to get a reaction from her was what clamped her mouth shut. Her eyebrow went up and she smiled ever so slightly then turned back to the medical supplies. "Ok kids, let's get this show on the road."

*****


	16. Chapter 15

**CHAPTER 15**

Of course, it was only a biopsy but it went a long way in proving what a great doctor she really was. House could say, if he were willing to admit it that is, that he was increasingly impressed with her. After the biopsy was done, 13 took the sample to the lab for analysis, and Taub and Kutner got ready to do the other tests, including a full blood panel, urine analysis and culture. As she was pulling off her latex gloves, Leah smiled at Jaymie. "Ok, we're done. How are you doing?"

Jaymie smiled ruefully. "I'm grateful you did it."

Leah nodded and threw away her gloves. "I am too. Now just lie back and take it easy. The doctors here will get everything they need so they can pronounce you fully healthy to go home but you're gonna be fine. We'll find out soon enough how you are doing. I'll be back; I want to see what the biopsy showed." Patting her arm, Leah walked out, trying to ignore the THUMP, THUMP, THUMP of a man and his cane that followed behind. Unfortunately for Leah he followed her on the elevator, making them the only two in that small enclosed area. Not good for either one, especially when both felt increasingly uncomfortable the more they spent time together. Since this was the first opportunity they'd had to be alone, their silent uneasiness with the other only reinforced what she'd suspected had been brewing that year in college. It was an attraction, unlike anything she'd felt before…not even with her beloved Jake. Clearing her mind of such nonsense, she waited for the door to close then leaned against the wall of the elevator. "Think your children can't handle a simple biopsy?? Or is it because I pulled the sample you're suddenly so curious?"

"Choice Number B." He grinned and turned toward the closed doors. Pretty soon the car would stop and their first somewhat civil moment alone together would go down in the history books as being the first completely boring encounter between former one-night-stands in the history of record-keeping. For a split second, that possibility (of letting that moment pass) was wholly unacceptable to Leah. She opened her mouth to say…anything…something…when House's cane shot up in a flash and down just as quickly.

THUNK. The elevator car came to a halt suddenly, nearly throwing Leah to the ground. Of course, since House knew it was going to happen, he was already braced. Righting herself, she opened her mouth to berate House for stopping the elevator when a loud RING, RING. RING, RING filled the elevator's cabin. Leah yelped and covered her ears to the emergency bell. "WHAT IS THAT?"

"The stop button got pushed. Wonder who could've done that."

The bell stopped, leaving a faint ringing in her head. "Gee, I wonder. Dr. House, just turn it off so we can get to the lab. I need to know Jaymie's ok so we can leave."

"You aren't going anywhere."

"You can't hold me hostage."

House ignored her. "Tell me why it was only once."

_**Play dumb Leah.**_ "What was only once?"

"Don't play dumb. That's my job."

"I still don't know what you're talking about."

"Will I need to refresh your memory?"

"That would help."

He smirked. "Do you prefer tactile memory enhancers?"

_**Uh-oh…this could be bad.**_ "What did you have in mind?"

House took a step toward her and she stepped back. She didn't want to be touched by him…no matter how good she knew it would feel. His smile widened as he backed her to the corner. Without taking his eyes from hers, he hooked his cane on the handrail that ran along the wall of the elevator, then placed his hands on the walls on either side of her face and leaned forward. Leah managed to swallow the gasp that threatened to escape…but when his thumbs (his hands still resting against the elevator walls) whispered ever so lightly against her delicate jaw line, leaving a trail of red-hot heat in their wake, her restrained gasp spilt out, washing his face with sweet hot breath. The poor woman thought she'd have a coronary right there in the elevator his effect on her was that great. But, then, it was always intense, always passionate, always heated. His voice lowered to a growling whisper. "Do you remember?"

Leah couldn't answer him at first; her throat had completely closed and she was struggling for breath. There was no way she'd say yes. She wasn't about to surrender to him. "Remember what?" Her question was spat into the air because they burnt the back of her throat.

House removed one hand and trailed rough fingers down her neck to her clavicle, playing with the soft indentation between bones. Her toes curled ('_**It's been 5 years since I've had sex…that's what this is about. That's why he's bothering me like he is. It's not him…it's NOT him…he's NOT the reason the elevator is suddenly stifling. Damn elevator for not having ventilation…'**_) but she held her ground, not wavering, not saying a thing. But House was no dummy and he knew what he did to her but…damn it…was she so good at holding her own. He licked his lips like a lion going in for the kill. "We went back to my office…" his whispered breath tickled her cheek as he leaned to her ear. "…and I kissed you…" Her whimper was almost imperceptive as he placed his lips, wet from his tongue but chapped nonetheless, directly underneath her lobe. House was just evil enough to rub his scratchy lips over the most sensitive pressure points…and her gasp was nearly explosive. He grinned even wider (as if he really could; his grin was already so wide it made Jack Nicholson's 'Joker' look like he was angry) and trailed kisses along her jawbone to her chin. "...do you remember what happened next?"

_**Fight back! Fight back! What am I doing? Wait! What is HE doing?!? House isn't a seducer…What is going…oh my…**_ Leah tried pulling away from him but it was no use; she was weak and her legs were like long, jeaned spaghetti noodles. If she couldn't pull away physically it had to be with words. Leah tried keeping her voice at least even but she wasn't sure it worked; her vowels kept wobbling. "No. I slept with so many professors in college I lost track. What makes you any different?"

"When you've had a piece of me, you'll never forget it."

And she would agree with that; he had been quite amazing. For such a tall, skinny…well, dweeb…he was an amazing lover, for being quick and frantic and passionate that is. She wanted more information. "Sorry…" her voice was low and husky. He pushed himself closer which only made her lean more heavily into the wall to try to compensate for the change in distance. "…you'll have to refresh my memory. What did we do again?"

As if she really needed any reminders…

_Her body moaned as his hands kneaded her breasts, suddenly alive from his firm actions. Her head, tilted back as she leaned back on her hands, breathed her hot gasps into the thick, passionate air around them. Greg kissed his way up through her valley, lingering on her clavicle, batted that pearl necklace with his tongue, then up the very front over her neck, over her throat, and catching her open, bruised and trembling lips. Their tongues danced as she leaned back up and worked his belt buckle loose, her thumb and index finger grasping the zipper pull of his jeans. This meant her grazing him and he gasped into her mouth. "You better make that quick," he moaned in her mouth. "I'm not going to last long." With those simple words he put her in control of their actions._

"_How much do you want me?" She muttered, not doing what he told her as she lowered the zipper one tooth by agonizing tooth. When the zipper was down she smoothed her hands underneath his t-shirt and moaned at his flat lower stomach, her fingers at first brushing the edges of his dense, hot forest. He shuttered underneath her stroking then almost yelled when her hands shot lower and grabbed his very proud manhood. She smiled against his mouth as it quivered in her hand._

_Greg regained a window of consciousness and answered, "As much as you want me." His hands made a beeline for her jeans, working them open and tugging them desperately, eager to get the show on the road. That action spurred them both as they quickly worked each other's clothes off. When both were naked and Leah running her hands and mouth all over his chest, Greg pulled her closer to the edge of the desk. He laid her down in front of him, her glorious nakedness spread out before him as he pushed her thighs apart even wider. Catching a glimpse of what she had for him, he moaned painfully and then grasped her smooth legs behind the knees and yanked her to him, skidding across the desk as her soft, restrained giggles filled his ears. He wrapped her legs around his waist and eyed her lust-filled eyes. _

_Leah's hands caressed his lower arms as his hands held her waist, holding her in place. "Does this mean I pass the class?" Her soft, husky words sped up his heavy breathing._

_Leah didn't remember getting an answer but she did remember closing her eyes and demanding of Greg to fill her completely…to fill her in that euphoric, passionate rush of hormones, adrenaline, warm and sensual way she just knew it would be._

*****


	17. Chapter 16

**CHAPTER 16**

Back in that elevator, House pushed her against the wall further still and she felt…him, pushing into her hard. Despite the obvious venom in his voice, as he was clearly mad at her for what she did almost 25 years before, he was absolutely turned on by her, his excitement pushing loud and proud into her belly, regardless of the tone of his voice. "You were all over me, panting on and on how you wanted me in you, on you, over you." His knees bent slightly as his hands moved lower and caught the back of her legs, pressing her against his erection. By now it was at her lower abdomen, so, so close... Her gasp was halting but she realized, early on, that the more she tried to wiggle away, the more excited he became, his breathing heavy and quick. She didn't know if she should keep wiggling.

Despite all that, the woman managed to at least appear calm. "Still doesn't ring a bell."

BRRRRING, BRRRRRING.

House smirked. "It rang someone's bell."

"That's not the emergency bell. That's coming from the elevator phone. Someone's trying to call us."

"It would seem so."

BRRRRING. BRRRRING.

Leah rubbed her eyes. "Then pick it up. I want to get out of here."

"You pick it up."

BRRRRING, BRRRRING.

"Me?!?! How can I? Your…" she pointed to the rather large bulge in his pants "…your…" she shook her finger and didn't want to say the word "…has got me pinned against the wall."

"Do you like it? Do you like how it feels against you? Do you want to touch it??"

"No I want to scream. Do you really want me screaming in your ear?"

"Huh? Sorry…I can't hear high-pitched WHIIIIINY noises." House exaggerated. She rolled her eyes and squeezed her way around him to open the little door and pull out the red phone. "Yes?"

"Tell House we can see him." It was Cuddy.

"What do you mean?"

"There's a camera in the elevator. We know he pressed the emergency button and we can see everything he's doing. Put him on."

"Gladly." She turned to House and held out the receiver. "It's for you."

House's eyebrow went up as he grabbed the phone, his eyes never leaving hers. "House's House of Hooch. Herman House. How's tricks?"

"House. We know you pressed the button; we know you've got Leah hostage."

House's forehead furrowed. He wasn't too thrilled to have Cuddy watching him feeling up her best friend…or maybe he was?? "Cuddy? Since when do you use the emergency elevator phone?"

"Since security tattled on you. Just open the door, we need the elevator."

"Right this moment?"

"Yes."

"Is anyone dying?"

"They will be if they don't flip the emergency stop button off."

"It ain't nice to threaten a cripple. Aren't there federal laws against that type of thing?"

"Didn't you hear? The Federal Supreme Court ruled that any 'derogatory' or 'threatening' action against you is fine. Seems you've made a lot of enemies wherever you go, and being an ss just hasn't served you right. Shame really."

House sighed. He'd known it was too late to fight when Cuddy knew what was happening; he just didn't realize the elevators were video recorded. House looked up. Not knowing exactly where the camera was, he began waving his middle finger in the air. "There. Can you see that?"

"You need a manicure."

House, knowing he was beaten but angry because he couldn't finish what he started, growled. "Fine." He slammed the phone down and turned to Leah. "This ain't over."

"And when will it be over?"

House turned around and unlocked the elevator which came to rest on the floor they were headed to. He took a step then, positioning his body between the elevator and floor, thereby blocking the door's closing, he turned to her. "When we finished what you started." With that he stepped forward and she followed him but her mind was in a daze. _**Finish what I started…I didn't start what happened all those years ago…and how does he want it to end??**_

*****


	18. Chapter 17

**CHAPTER 17**

Leah caught up with House and they both stopped when a handsome man with dark hair, huge brown eyes, a boyish face and cavernous dimples on each cheek suddenly appeared in front of House. "House! Cuddy sent me down here, said it was you who was holding up the elevator. You're in so much trouble for pulling that little stunt. Remember the last time you stopped an elevator? You found a tick in a girl's vagina. What did you find today??"

Leah couldn't believe what he was saying. _A tick…in a girl's vagina? What exactly does House do around here anyway??_

House rolled his eyes and turned to Leah. "Nothing Jimmy. I was in the middle of giving this woman her daily physical when we were rudely interrupted by Cuddy and her phone of doom."

Wilson shook his head at House then noticed Leah and stopped, stunned by her beauty. He took a moment to collect himself. "And you are??"

"Dr. Leah Rogan."

Wilson's eyes widened and his look roamed her body before quickly looking at House as if to say, _Damn! THAT'S her?? And YOU slept with HER?? How'd you get so lucky??_ He coughed and held out his hand. "Ah. You're Cuddy's friend, aren't you?" Leah nodded. "I'm Dr. James Wilson."

Leah smiled brightly and took his hand in a shake. "Yes! Lisa has said so much about you it's nice to finally meet you. You're his…" she waved her hand at House absentmindedly. "…friend, aren't you?"

Wilson smiled dumbly and nodded, acting as if the most popular girl in school actually knew this geek's name! House rolled his eyes and thumped his cane impatiently but Wilson ignored him. "His only one."

"What a saint you are."

"Excuse me boys and girls," House roared, breaking their conversation. "I am standing right here and we do have work to do. Can you continue this chat later? Thank you!" House turned and stalked to the lab.

Leah sighed and looked at Wilson. "My daughter had hypersensitivity vasculitis several days ago and I just did a biopsy to confirm that it's gone. That's where we're headed now. Want to join us?"

His eyebrow lifted. "Hypersensitivity vasculitis? Really? You don't see that very often. Of course. I'd love to join you." They walked down the hall. He wanted to broach the subject of Leah's and House's relationship but didn't know exactly how to do that.

But Leah, a rather perceptive woman herself, smiled. "You want to know my side of our relationship, don't you?"

Wilson's large fawn eyes opened up to give him that, well, ok, deer-in-the-headlights expression. "Well, I mean…"

"It's ok. I would've figured he'd talk to you. I don't kiss and tell. It was a very long time ago and I have talked about it enough for one day."

"That's ok. I respect your position." They arrived at the lab to find House and 13 looking at the biopsy through the machine. They were nodding.

"Is the HV gone?" Leah asked.

13 pointed to the viewfinder. "Take a look for yourself."

Leah stepped up and saw normal postcapillary venules. "The leukocytoclastic, or inflamed blood vessels, are back to normal. The postcapillary venules are also better. So it was, for sure, hypersensitivity vasculitis."

13 nodded. "Yep. Now, depending on what the other tests show, you're daughter should be ready to go in no time at all. We'll have the tests by the end of the day."

Leah smiled. "Thank you." She looked at House who was looking away then looked back at 13. "Well, Jaymie, Billy and I will come back when you have all the results. I'd better be going. Thank you for letting me look." With a lingering look at House, Leah turned and left.

13, having caught the exchange, looked at Wilson for some sort of confirmation of…something. When Wilson just watched her, 13 knew not to say anything. House started to leave but Wilson stepped in his path. "Get out of my way, Jimmy."

Suddenly in the desperate mood to leave, 13 took off like her bloomers were on fire. When she left Wilson said, "You've got to do something about Leah. You're both confused but you still want her. I think she wants you too."

"Is this conversation going any place I could care about? Because if it's not I'm leaving right now." House took off for the door.

"I'm going to ask her to the Nephrology black tie event in her honor this Saturday."

That stopped House in his tracks. He turned around and looked at Wilson, who was watching him, perhaps gauging for a reaction. "She won't go. Her little girl will be just fine then they'll cut their vacation short because they don't want to have anything to do with me."

Wilson stepped in front of House again. "It's in four days. Besides, Cuddy's not going to let her leave yet."

"Why are you asking her out?"

"Why wouldn't I? She's the hottest piece I've seen around here in way too long." Wilson almost grinned when House's eyes narrowed at 'piece'. "Or were you going to ask her?"

"Why would I do that? I'm not even going."

"It's required."

"I'm not going." House stepped around Wilson and headed for the door.

"Why didn't you ask her?"

"Because I wasn't going." House stepped out of the lab and Wilson ran to catch up.

"Of course you were. You want to see what she's wearing."

"I don't care what she's wearing."

"Of course you do. It's a black tie event; it means she's going to look and smell like a real girl." They'd gotten back to the elevators and House pressed the button. "You may even get to see her boobies."

"Her 'boobies'?" House rolled his eyes at Wilson's adolescent reference to two of his favorite womanly parts. "I've done a lot more than that to them."

"Are they worth a second look?"

House didn't answer as Wilson grinned. He'd already known what House thought of her 'boobies'; House was quite fond of them actually. "I'm not going; have fun; and sleep with her. We'll compare notes." House limped around Wilson and out the door, leaving an astonished Wilson. He couldn't believe his ears: House sounded like he was giving up.

But House never gives up.

*****


	19. Chapter 18

**CHAPTER 18**

The results of the tests came back later that afternoon and Kutner was staring at them with bewilderment. Something wasn't adding up and he needed to tell House. He rushed into the conference room to find Taub reading a medical journal and 13 talking with Foreman, who'd been gone to a medical conference out of town and didn't know anything about the recent events. Perhaps she was filling him in because she kept motioning to House who was in his office, facing his outside windows.

Taub was the first to look up and notice the puzzled look on his colleague's face. "What is it?"

"Her case isn't over yet."

"What do you mean?" By now he had 13 and Foreman's attention but Kutner continued into House's office. Kutner walked up to House's desk and threw the test results on his desk. "Nothing's changed."

House didn't turn around as he continued looking out the window. "Nothing meaning what? The cost of a Starbuck's latte? Amy Winehouse's tattoos?"

"Jaymie Speight's test results."

He turned around at this. "What do you mean? The purpura's cleared up."

Kutner nodded. "Yes, the purpura is clear, her UTI is gone and her B-12 is in normal range."

House grew upset that Kutner interrupted his daydreaming. "Then why did you announce that nothing had changed?"

"She still has hematuria, proteinuria and thrombocytopenia."

That got House's attention. He sat up in his seat and picked up the patient file Kutner threw on the desk. His eyes widened as he read. "The platelet count is even lower, to 90,000." He worked his jaw. "B-12 levels are normal and UTI is gone. Why didn't you tell me that?"

Kutner threw up his hands. "I just did."

"You did?"

"Of course I did. What could cause the continued levels of blood and protein?"

"You aren't supposed to ask the questions; I am." House grabbed his cane as he worked his jaw. He stood up, walked around the desk, threw the file at Kutner and walked into the conference room. "Where are the Three Musketeers?"

"Which ones?"

"Larry, Curly and Moe." House rubbed his eyes and continued to the door of the conference room. He threw it open then turned to the doctors. "Get them back in here. The precious little girl is still sick."

House left but everyone followed behind. When House stopped at the elevator he turned to the parade following behind. "Why are you following me?"

Kutner looked at everyone then turned to House. "I don't know why everyone else is following you but I assumed you're going to see Cuddy and that's where I was headed."

Everyone but 13 nodded their head. DING! House looked back at the elevator then at 13. "And you? Why are you following me?"

"Because your yummy ss makes me so hot and the view is great from back here."

House smirked then looked at the others. "See? That wasn't so hard. At least she can admit to it." He put a little swing in his hips as he limped into the elevator, the others following and shaking their heads.

*****

Moments later they walked into Cuddy's office. She looked up and was startled to see everyone standing in front of her. "Whoa. All five of you. Either this is serious or you're bored."

"A bit of both," Kutner said. He opened his mouth to continue but House cut him off.

"Call the Hicks from the Sticks back. Little precious Jaymakins' boo-boo still ain't fixed."

"What do you mean?"

"Do you want to hear now or at the grand unveiling?"

"Now."

"Where are they?"

"They went home."

"Call them back."

"Not until you tell me what it is…and don't tell me it has to do with something sexual. That one is horribly overused."

Kutner stepped forward. "The hemutaria and proteinuria hasn't cleared up; it's still at the same levels even as her B-12 levels were normal and her UTI has cleared up. Plus, her platelet count has actually decreased."

Now Cuddy was concerned. "Decreased?"

"It was 105,000; now it's 90,000."

"Do you have any idea what it could be??" The doctors shook their head and Cuddy sighed. "Yep, let's get them back in here." She paused. "And to think we were going to New York to go shopping for the fundraiser on Saturday."

House was on alert with that one. "You mean she's still going?"

Cuddy nodded. "So does this mean you're going now too?"

He nodded his head. "I was always going to go. It's my duty as a Nephrologist." House snuck a peek at the younger doctors. They weren't buying it. "You should be proud. It's not like I'm required to go or anything."

"Don't feign ignorance. You ARE required to go."

"It's not an issue now that I am going to go anyway. Why must you make such a big deal about everything?" Cuddy opened then closed her mouth and House turned around. "Call me when the wagon train has arrived."

*****


	20. Chapter 19

**CHAPTER 19**

"Lisa, what's going on?" Leah asked as she, followed by Jaymie and Billy, trooped into Cuddy's office. They were startled to see all the doctors they had seen, plus another, sitting around. He was a tall black guy with a goatee and no white doctor's coat. It seemed as if they were waiting for them. She looked at Foreman. "I'm sorry, we haven't met. You are…"

The man opened his mouth but House waved him off. "Who he is doesn't matter. He's not important."

The man threw an exasperated look at House then smiled slightly at Leah. "I'm Doctor Eric Foreman. I work on House's team. I've been gone to a medical conference which is why I haven't been here."

"Great. You've given Captain Rogaine here…" Foreman's eyebrow rose at House's mispronunciation of her name as he looked at Leah. She just shook her head. What was she to do? "…far too much information. Why must everything be about you?"

"And why must it be about you House?" Leah said with exasperation then looked at Foreman. "I'm Doctor Leah Rogan. I'm the patient's mother."

"ADOPTED mother…" House whined.

"My mother." Jaymie interjected then took one of the remaining seats.

"Oh here Leah…" Wilson said as he jumped up. "…you can have my seat." Leah nodded gratefully and took the seat.

"Well, isn't that just dandy Wilson?" House started and rolled his eyes. "Make nice with the hottie so she'll sleep with you."

"ENOUGH!" Cuddy roared, startling everybody. "We aren't here to argue."

"What's going on?" Leah asked, ignoring the abnormally snarky House pacing behind the couch she was sitting in. "Why couldn't you tell us what was going on over the phone? And why is everyone here??"

Cuddy waited until everyone was seated to say, "We got the test results back."

"And?? What were they?" Jaymie asked, confusion and a bit of panic in her voice.

"They said you'll be staying with us awhile longer. Welcome to the Hotel California." House said from his new perch on Cuddy's desk, which blocked Cuddy's view of the room. She groaned and stood up, moving to pull up a seat closer to her friends. House just thumped his cane on the floor between his legs. "You can checkout anytime you like but you can never leave."

Leah ignored House as she took Cuddy's hand. "Can I see her chart??"

House pointed to their clasped hands. "Rogaine, you're killin' me here. This reminds me of that dream I had last night where you, Cuddy and 13 are all holding hands, I can't remember why. Then you decided to play a game of naked Twister and…"

Leah had decided that was enough. "Must he stay?"

"Yes I must. Get used to it."

Cuddy gave her the file while desperately trying to erase the image his words conjured up. Leah ran her finger along the results then looked at Jaymie who was anxiously looking at her mother. "Your UTI has cleared up, the pneumonia is clear and your B-12 levels are normal. However," Leah wrinkled her forehead at the results. "It says here you still have proteinuria and hematuria and…" She narrowed her eyes and looked at House who was watching her reaction carefully. "…her platelet count actually DECREASED?"

"Weird huh?" Kutner asked.

Leah looked at Kutner. She wanted him to tell her what she already knew. "What can cause a decreased platelet count??"

"I would say a B-12 deficiency but we've already been down that road…"

"Myelodysplastic syndrome or leukemia…" Taub offered.

"Leukemia!!!" Jaymie looked horrified.

"Aw, don't worry sweetie…" House snarked as he limped to Leah and snatched the folder. "It's not leukemia. You'd look terrible bald."

"That's not helping," Leah said. "What else??"

"Bacterial infection…" 13 offered.

"…which, according to those tests…" she pointed to the patient file. "…was treated. What else? Come on, come on people."

House liked seeing Leah boss them around. It was very…sexy. "Ok people, we've gotta go through all the causes of proteinuria, hematuria and thrombocytopenia."

"Does this mean I have to be checked back into the hospital??" Jaymie asked then looked at Cuddy. "But we're going to New York tomorrow. I'm not sick; I feel fine."

Cuddy looked at Jaymie. "I don't see why not. You've never had any life-threatening symptoms. Besides, we'll be there and if anything does happen we can get her taken care of. In the meantime…" She looked at the team who was obviously deep in thought…except for their fearless leader, of course. He was watching Leah, a somewhat confused look on his face. "…House!" He jumped then looked at Cuddy.

"Yes Sheena, Queen of My Jungle??" He pointed to his groin. "It is time to climb Mount Vesuvius before it erupts again??"

"I've heard that premature eruptions are a sign of one's inability to control oneself. Funny…that wouldn't apply to you, would it??" Leah asked almost sweetly.

Cuddy slowly closed her eyes then reopened them. "No need to make a mountain out of a mole hill." The doctors smirked at her reference to House's anatomy. "In the meantime, do your job and brainstorm over the whiteboard. We'll be back on Thursday unless there's an emergency…" Cuddy held up her hand. "…and claiming a severe shortage of sexy hookers does not constitute an emergency House."

Leah looked around the room, avoiding the one person who was trying to get her attention the most. "Listen, guys, I do appreciate this very much. If there's any way I could make it up to you just say the word."

"There's only one way you can 'make it up' to us Rogaine," House began and Leah groaned. She just KNEW this was going to be ugly. "You can do a lap dance for everyone except me. I get to watch."

"When? Right now?"

"Absolutely."

"I never give out free samples. You heal Jaymie then we'll discuss payment." Leah had to get out of there. First his obnoxiousness was annoying; now it was rubbing off on her. She should've just ignored him but she couldn't. He was like that annoying zit your parents tell you not to pop but enough becomes enough and you just have to pop. Of course, you usually get shot in the eye as a result but nevertheless you popped it. She hoped she hadn't popped anything that couldn't have been reversed.

Cuddy was desperate to get the train back on track. "Ok people. Start running every test you can think of that could explain hematuria, proteinuria and thrombocytopenia. Take the fluids and samples you need tonight. We'll be gone for the next two days, only reachable by pager and that is only a MEDICAL emergency. I will NOT answer any pages that begin with 'Oh my Greek Goddess, come rub my luscious Greek olives' or 'Where's my Italian Beauty? Have I got a canoli for her!' You've already used those and I didn't respond when you did use them."

"How about 'I'd like to wiener your schnitzel?'"

"Now go. Take what you need tonight."

The younger doctors, Leah, Jaymie and Billy left, leaving House, Cuddy and Wilson in Cuddy's office. Once the doors were closed Wilson turned on House. "What the hell are you doing?"

"I'm being me."

"This isn't you; this is the Oscar the Grouch version of you. She's got your briefs in a bunch, doesn't she? She's so far under your skin you're using the mean scalpel to dig her out. It's not working."

House looked at Wilson. "Have you asked her to the fundraiser yet?"

"You want to ask Leah to the fundraiser?" Cuddy asked Wilson. "Are you serious?"

"Well…yes and no. She's absolutely gorgeous and House isn't going to ask her. Why can't I?"

Cuddy shot Wilson a beleaguered look. "You just said why. I don't want her asked because she's beautiful; I want you to ask her because you want to take her. But what does it matter what I think? You still don't have an answer. Make it quick, before Dr. Benjamin from Pediatrics sees her and asks her on the spot."

House's eyebrows bunched. "That shark."

"Yeah, so one of you better do something. He's coming to the fundraiser."

"How do you know?" Wilson asked.

"He RSVP'd."

House suddenly shrugged and headed to the door. "She can go with anyone she wants and she can do whatever she wants. I don't care. I just want to solve this case and ET can come back for them." He slammed the door behind him.

Wilson looked at Cuddy. "Stacy was never the one, was she?" Cuddy shook her head, staring out the door, deep in thought. "It was always Leah." She nodded.

*****


	21. Chapter 20

**CHAPTER 20**

Later that evening, after the doctors got all the samples they needed to run their tests, Leah, Jaymie and Billy were leaving the hospital when Dr. Wilson suddenly came out of nowhere. "Dr. Rogan!!" She turned and smiled when she saw him bounding over to her. "Can I ask you something?"

"Sure. What is it?"

"I mean…" He pointed to the young couple who were watching them. Wilson leaned forward and whispered, "…in private."

"Is everything alright?"

"Of course, of course. I didn't mean to alarm you."

Leah looked at the couple then nodded. "I'll meet you guys outside." They nodded and left them standing by the doors in the lobby, outside the clinic. "What's up?"

"I was wondering if…maybe…" Wilson fidgeted just enough to catch Leah's attention. "…if you had a date for the fundraiser. If not do you want to go with me?"

Leah was completely taken aback. That was not what she was expecting. "Ummm…that was very sweet of you to ask…"

"…buuuut…??" Wilson prompted, his face showing the beginning of disappointment.

"…ummm…" _Why are you stalling?? Here's an idea: if you want to annoy House then I would suggest going with Wilson…and make it look official._ Leah suddenly stood tall and resolute. "Ok Dr. Wilson. I'll go to the fundraiser with you."

This also threw Wilson for a bit…but only a bit. He suddenly smiled all of his pearly whites and nodded. "Excellent! Good. Then it's settled. Cuddy said the party starts at 7:00; how about I pick you up at 6:30??"

Leah nodded. "I'm staying at Lisa's."

"Great. I'll be there with the best tux money can rent."

She laughed. "Ok. Will I see you before then?"

"Probably."

"Umm…" Leah began then stopped.

"What?"

"Should we tell Dr. House? Or wait until we get there?"

"Well…" Wilson certainly didn't want to tell her he'd already told House he was going to ask her; that would make it sound like he was bragging. Which he wasn't. Right? "…why don't we wait until we get there?"

"And what if he asks me?"

Wilson shook his head. "He won't. He's got way too much pride and he's still furious with you."

Leah didn't know why but that really hurt her feelings. Ok, maybe she DID know why; she just didn't want to admit it to anyone, especially herself: she wanted House to want to ask her. She wanted that traditional stuff from him. Leah wanted House to pine for her. Silly woman; she should already know traditional won't happen. And that House doesn't pine. "Ok. So…I'll see you later?"

Wilson smiled, his deep dimples infecting Leah with their joy. "It's a deal."

*****

That next morning Cuddy and Leah took a taxi to Jaymie and Billy's hotel to pick them up, which would take all of them to the train station. "What do you think it could be?" Leah asked Cuddy as they rode in the back.

"Whatever it is House will find it. You can trust him."

And she did. "I know I can. And I do…from a medical standpoint anyway. I know he's brilliant and will take care of her. But…what if it's something serious? What if it means I'll lose her just like I lost Jake?" Cuddy didn't have an answer for her. Leah paused. "Lise, what really happened to Greg's leg? I know that…"

"Wait, you just called him Greg. Was that endearment?"

She shook her head. "Hardly. At the clinic we call each other by their first names. I just slipped into that habit I guess. I know his leg was an infarction but did his old girlfriend really order the procedure while he was in a coma?"

Cuddy nodded. "But how did you know?"

"House, like I've said before, is a legend in the medical community. Information about his leg has spread far and wide. And I'm going to assume that he hasn't forgiven her, just like he will forever stay mad at me."

"Not forever…" Leah gave Cuddy a doubtful look. "…ok, fine. He will stay mad at you but if you make it up to him…"

Fortunately for Leah they pulled up to the hotel at that moment and Lisa didn't finish the rest of that statement. It didn't mean she wasn't thinking about what she knew was the answer. Leah knew exactly what Cuddy meant. She just didn't _want_ to think about it.

*****

"Lisa, why did I agree to go to this??" Leah asked as they settled in the train that would take them to Penn Station in New York City. "I mean, going to New York for a dress for an event in three days? And there's something wrong with Jaymie…"

"I'm feeling ok Mom," Jaymie whined from her seat beside Billy. They were across the aisle from Leah and Cuddy. "The doctors said I could come with you. Besides, I've got two top rate doctors with me. I'm fine. I wouldn't miss New York for the world!" She squealed and looked at Billy. "Who'd have thought that we'd end up in New York City, the city that never sleeps?? It's just too wild! OH! I've gotta call Stacy! She'll FLIP OUT!!"

Billy rolled his eyes. If he hadn't really, really wanted to see New York, he wouldn't have gone. This was a shopping trip and he was never too keen on watching his wife hand over the credit card. It really didn't matter that they were loaded; it was the principle of the thing. "Didn't you already call Stacy last night??"

"I tried Stacy but she wasn't home."

"Oh brother," He muttered underneath his voice.

Leah, for all her problems of late, had to laugh at the couple. Oh to be young again. "I'm surprised Dr. Wilson asked me to be his date. I don't need a date; the fundraiser's in my clinic's honor. I'm even more surprised I agreed." _**No you aren't; you aren't surprised. You did it on purpose just to piss House off. You're becoming just like him.**_

"Did you expect House to?" Cuddy asked as they pulled into the long-term parking of the train station.

"No; I didn't expect to be asked at all. I mean, I wasn't expecting anything. It's just that I don't know Dr. Wilson. We meet once then suddenly he shows up and wants me to go with him?? I mean, how was I supposed to take that?"

"Like the drop-dead gorgeous, available woman that you are." Cuddy smiled and they sat back as the train pulled from the Princeton Junction station. "Relax, have fun. We're going to some of the best shopping on the face of the earth; why quibble over details?"

"Details?!?!" Leah exclaimed as she looked at Cuddy. "These aren't just 'details'; the best friend of the man I screwed over…"

"Literally!"

"Thank you Jaymie!!" Leah rolled her eyes. "…just asked me to this fundraiser." Leah thought for a moment then her eyes widened. "I bet he asked me just to get even with Dr. House! I knew there was an alternative motive!"

"Leah…" Cuddy closed her eyes and sighed. "…I will say this as nicely as I can: shut up and enjoy the ride. We aren't talking about it anymore."

But Leah couldn't get her mind OFF of it…

*****

"Now," Cuddy began as they grabbed their gear and stepped off the train at Penn Station. "The key is to stay with me. I come to New York many times and am very familiar with the city. We can go to Bloomies if we want but my favorite is still Saks Fifth Avenue. And this location is the best; how do you think it got its name?"

"What's Bloomies Aunt Lise??"

"That's Bloomingdales. They're a New York staple."

Leah looked a bit worried as they boarded the escalator to take them to street level. "Saks is expensive. Remember we'd go in there when we were in high school in Chicago and just dream about the outfits we could buy?"

"Yes, but you are very important now and this is a very important moment for you and the clinic. You need to look smart, sophisticated and incredibly sexy. For that you need an expensive, designer dress."

"Mom, you don't spend money on yourself; it's time you bought yourself something very nice."

"Exactly; just listen to your daughter. Now…" they arrived on the street level and Cuddy, handing her bag to Leah, easily found them a cab as they were waiting by the curb for those brave enough to handle the ride. "4th and Greenwich please." Cuddy looked at Leah. "Becky lives in Tribeca."

"Oh, you mean where Robert DeNiro lives??"

"Well Billy…she's never mentioned him. But she makes great money as an architect and she only works blocks from her apartment. It's a few miles from Saks so I thought we could drop our stuff off then go. How does that sound?"

"YAY!"

Billy sighed. "Well, no complaints from Jaymie."

*****


	22. Chapter 21

**CHAPTER 21**

With a groan the four weary shoppers flopped into a row of upholstered easy chairs. Leah sighed and looked at Cuddy. "I'm so sorry Lisa. I just haven't seen…it."

Cuddy smiled. "I know and it's ok. This trip was for you. Besides, I love to shop and two hours in Saks is like the perfect day. I'm just glad we found our clothes already."

After they had dropped their bags at Becky's, the new adventurers made their way over to Saks…with a few detours of course. On the way Cuddy had called Becky, who said she would contact her friend Chloe, manager of the women's designer department. It had been quite an interesting experience for Jaymie and Billy, who had never been in a city like it before. They were thunderstruck at the sheer volume of people crammed into that city.

When they got to Saks, Jaymie, Billy and Cuddy had found the right attire very early on but Leah was having the hardest trouble. Nothing felt…right. Nothing felt like the best for the situation. Leah would just deny it but she was really shopping for House. She wanted something to catch his attention. It was shameful; it was pathetic; it was wrong. Leah didn't care. She would show HIM.

As Leah sat in that chair, just about ready to ask Cuddy if they could go to Bloomingdale's, Chloe held up her finger. "I do have some items that just came in today. They haven't been stocked or priced yet but they are on hangers. Hold on; let me see what we can do."

Leah nodded gratefully at Chloe. "Thank you so much."

Several minutes later Chloe and another salesgirl returned with a portable rack on wheels. "Ok. There are about 20 more dresses here. If you can't find what you're looking for then…I'm sorry. I don't know what to tell you."

"It's ok Chloe," Cuddy smiled. "You've been absolutely brilliant. My friend is a picky shopper, that's all."

Leah blushed and began pawing through the choice dresses. Halfway through the search one particular dress caught her eye and she grabbed it by the padded hanger. She touched the two-toned blue crinkled silk Sue Wong dress and gasped. "This is it." She turned it around and nodded. "This is it."

"But wouldn't grey or lavender look better with your eyes??" Chloe asked.

"Probably but this is it. Would it look wrong on me?"

"No way. You've got a killer body. You look like a, what…" Chloe eyed her capris and fitted blue shirt. "…a six?"

Leah nodded, amazed. "How did you know?"

Chloe smiled. "It's my job to know. The one in your hand is a six."

"Good. I want to try it on."

"This way."

*****

Several minutes later everyone was sitting around the waiting room portion of the single dressing room, waiting for Leah to emerge. "That's a good sign Leah," Cuddy said. "You didn't want to try anything else on."

"I don't like to try on clothes until I see the perfect thing."

"Well, I'm sure it will be beautiful."

"I don't want beautiful; I want VA-VA-VA-VOOOM."

Cuddy almost laughed out loud; she wasn't fooled. "You know, he looks very good in a tux."

"Who?"

All three of them rolled their eyes. "You know who. The handsome one with the gimpy leg."

"I don't care about him."

"Yeah right Mom." Jaymie snorted.

Leah shook her head as she smoothed the dress in place. While she might've been a tad big busted for the dress, the dress looked like it was made for her. The lighter blue, almost a brighter royal or perhaps cyan blue, skimmed over her rounded hips like a whisper, while the darker navy blue panel that ran down the middle in both the front and back, and encompassed the bodice, was an amazing contrast. The thin navy blue spaghetti straps that went up and over her shoulders crossed her back delicately. The embellished beaded Empire waistline accentuated her longer waistline, creating a beautifully curvy but trim silhouette on the beauty with the longer waist.

This dress said '**VA-VA-VA-VOOOM. LOOK OUT I'M COMING THROUGH**'.

"Are you ready in there??" Cuddy asked.

"Yep. Ok, don't laugh." With a deep breath, Leah opened the door and for a moment nobody knew what to say as their eyes inspected her. Leah turned so they could see the back and the women gasped. Billy broke the silence with, "Oh my God. Wow." Shoppers passing by the open area where Leah's family sat just stopped and stared. Chloe, who'd gone and done other things returned and stopped dead in her tracks. Her eyes widened as they skimmed her.

"Wow. That dress was made for you. Are you looking for a modeling job? We always need people."

Leah, completely unused to compliments of this nature because she rarely got dressed up in 'girly' clothes, just blushed. "Thank you. I'm flattered but I already have a job. I'm a Nephrologist."

"Wow. Really?? What is that?"

"I'm a doctor specializing in kidneys."

"Ah. Ok. But you need shoes and jewelry and a clutch and some new underwear."

Leah's eyes widened. "Underwear?? I'm not going to the Miss America contest; it's just a fundraiser."

"In her honor," Jaymie added. Chloe looked impressed.

"Well, while you have the dress on you could at least try on shoes. There's no better way of knowing which shoe will work until you put them with the dress."

"What about my stuff??"

"We got it. We'll follow you Miss America," Cuddy grinned and grabbed Leah's purse.

*****


	23. Chapter 22

**CHAPTER 22**

They were settled on shoes and a contrasting wrap but they were divided on her underwear. Cuddy pointed them to a bank of upholstered chairs by the cash registers. They sat as Cuddy brainstormed what they could do next. "How about Victoria's Secret?"

Billy sighed and stood up. "Ok, that's it. I've endured almost three hours of shopping; I won't sit here and listen to you go on about your underwear. I'm going to stand by the exit." They watched as Billy left then Leah looked at Cuddy.

"But I don't need new underwear!"

"Mom, for this dress you do. Those granny panties you wear just won't do." Jaymie looked at Cuddy. "Vickie's would be great. I need some for my dress."

"And so do I," Cuddy said. "Then it's settled." She turned to Leah. "Do you even know what you need?"

"Jaymie, they are NOT granny panties; they are low-cut bikinis. Just because they aren't string bikinis and they are made of 100% cotton doesn't mean they're granny panties."

"You need smooth hips; that dress must not have one hint of panty line. It must be smooth, fluid. We'll find them." Jaymie nodded confidently.

"I'm glad you're happy about this because I'm not."

Now they looked at her like she was insane. "How can you NOT be happy about underwear shopping?" Jaymie asked. "Underwear can make, or break, an outfit."

"Then why wear panties?"

Cuddy shrugged. "You don't have to."

"Yes I do." Leah sighed. "Fine. New underwear. But I'm NOT getting thongs; those things are so uncomfortable."

"You've worn them?"

Leah looked at her daughter incredulously. "Of course I have. I haven't lived in a cave all these years. I used to wear them when Jake and I went out but I hated them. Jake wanted me to wear them all the time but when I threatened to wear honest-to-God granny panties he relented and agreed to only special occasions." She paused. "I wouldn't be surprised if his mistress wore them all the time."

Cuddy stood up, eager to not pursue Jake's mistress's underwear of choice. "Vickie's has what they call 'no show' bikini panties. They are very nice and really don't show underneath your clothes. But, if it makes everyone feel better, we'll ask the salesgirl for her opinion. There's one a couple of miles away. We'll have Chloe set our purchases away and we'll do some sightseeing then come back for them on the way home. In the meantime, there's so much for you to see. We'll just take our time, grab a hotdog at Gray's Papaya, and give you a chance to absorb the city. Once you've had your fill then we can go back. Becky's cooking us all dinner…"

"Oh no!" Leah exclaimed, embarrassed by all the extra effort. "She doesn't need to do this. She's a busy woman with a life of her own. I hope she isn't…"

"Now stop it!" Cuddy pointed to Leah. "You hate it when anyone does anything for you. Please, enjoy this trip. We do it because we love you and we want you to be happy."

"Even if it means with Dr. House."

Leah looked at her daughter in horror as Cuddy and Jaymie giggled as they trotted to the door, leaving a stunned Leah. If she knew that was the plan all along would she have gone?

*****

After an exhausting day of shopping, sightseeing, a horse drawn carriage ride through Central Park and good times, everyone crashed at Becky's apartment, their loot stashed safely away so as to keep it nice for the party on Saturday.

Thursday morning Becky took them out for an early breakfast of bagels and the sites of Time Square then to Penn Station and helped them get on the train back to Princeton. When the weary travelers got home they decided to meet at the hospital the next morning for possible test results and medical differentials.

*****

The next morning, Cuddy and Leah arrived at the hospital. Cuddy looked at her watch. 9:00. "The doctors should be upstairs already. Why don't you go up there and see if they have anything??"

Leah, her stomach churning at the thought of seeing House again (it was becoming a regular occurrence with each visit), nodded and left, soon thereafter arriving at the conference room and bursting through the doors. "What are you doing?"

House looked at her with confusion then picked up a pair of knitting needles and a ball of hunter-green wool yarn. "I'm knitting a shawl. It helps me think." 13 opened her mouth to tell him it was her yarn when he pointed the needles at her without taking his gaze from Leah. "It helps me think. Right 13??" She rolled her eyes and took the items from his hands.

"While very interesting, knitting has nothing to do with Jaymie's case. What did your testing find?"

"Did you find me something pretty in New York?"

"You?"

"Of course. Whatever you bought is for me as well."

"No…" she slowly said, confusion on her face. "…I don't think we're the same size and we clearly don't have the same taste. If you wanted something you should've told me."

Kutner clearly wanted to change the subject. "There's no simple explanation for any of her continuing symptoms. There are so many reasons for proteinuria, hematuria and thrombocytopenia that the odds of it all being attributed to the same thing are pretty small."

"Have you actually worked out the odds Young Master Kutner?" House asked, picking up Jaymie's patient file from the table.

"Not specifically but they're miniscule at best."

House smiled briefly then sighed loudly. "Are you kids playing word of the week? You've worked 'miniscule' into every conversation. Are you betting to see who says it the most?"

They ignored House as he turned to the whiteboard and began doodling stick-figures in the corner of the board. House continued talking as he doodled. "I say we just discharge her. She's fine."

Leah looked horrified. "Excuse me? No, she's NOT fine. You found blood in her urine!"

"Miniscule."

Leah narrowed her eyes. "Her platelet count dropped and she's still got protein in the urine. How do you explain that?" He ignored her and kept doodling. She stepped closer to House and the whiteboard, eyeing what he was doing. "You're a Diagnostian; you of all people should know how…" Leah stopped as she finally caught what he was drawing: two stick-people having sex. She made a face as she studied it. "…Ok. What are you doing?"

"When I'm not knitting I channel my inner Picasso. I call this one 'Differential with Rogaine'. It's an abstract."

"It can't be abstract; you've made it very clear what they're doing."

"But you don't look like that. Your rack is much better. See? Abstract." He drew on what she figured was the male stick person what at first looked like a pickle but on closer examination turned out to be…

Leah grabbed the whiteboard eraser and quickly cleaned the board, leaving a whining House in her wake. "Just get me some answers and stop fucking around." Everyone's eyebrows jumped at this. "I'm tired of these games, tired of…whatever this is…that you're doing. My daughter is your patient; as a PUZZLE she deserves better than what you're giving her. If you can't look at her as a human at least treat her puzzle better than you have been." Leah watched him defiantly.

"We don't know what's going on. The tests were negative for leukemia. We can't find a bacterial infection. We don't…"

Leah's brain was working overtime. "What about an IgA nephropathy?"

House paused and watched her. "Berger's Disease? The most common form of glomerulonephritis, where the small blood vessels in the kidney are inflamed?" Leah nodded. "But if she has a predisposition it's triggered by a virus; she's had bacterial infections."

Leah looked at the ducklings. "Have you isolated the source of the hematuria?" The doctors shook their heads. "Well, it's a start. A cytoscopy and an ultrasound of the kidney would not only rule out Berger's but could pinpoint the source of the blood. Proteinuria is also present in Berger's disease."

House put down his marker and stepped closer to her. "You're a Nephrologist and you automatically assumed it's the kidneys."

"So are you but you didn't. Have you defected to the Diagnostics side?"

"No. I just don't assume."

She folded her arms in front of her. "Ok. Am I wrong to suggest an ultrasound and cytoscopy?" House watched her but shook his head. "Good. You've got to discover the source of the bleeding. I'll call Billy and Jaymie. They'll be in shortly." Leah turned to leave.

"Rogaine, stop by my apartment and we can make the abstract still life."

Leah rolled her eyes and continued out the door. _Was the dress the right thing? What am I doing??_

*****


	24. Chapter 23

**CHAPTER 23**

By the next afternoon, the day of the fundraiser, Leah's nerves were torn to shreds. Not only did they determine the source of the bleed (her kidney) but they had no idea why it was happening. The ultrasound showed no immediate threats to the organ that could explain the (miniscule) bleeding. Leah was in such a state she threatened to back out of the fundraiser all together. "I can't do it Lise. I can't show up in that." She pointed to the dress. "Will it seem like I'm throwing myself at him? I don't want to send him mixed signals. I think that's what happened in college and I don't want to go down that road again."

"It won't matter; he'd catch you anyway. Look Leah…" Cuddy took her hands and shook her arms to get her point across. "…you are going and you're going to knock his socks off. He's not going to know what hit him. But whatever you do…" Cuddy took her hand and dragged her to the bathroom, where she started a hot shower for the nervous woman. "…if you don't want to have sex with him, don't go off alone with him. You'll only fall under his spell. Trust me."

Leah looked at Cuddy with surprise and a bit of hurt. "You had sex with House??!!" Cuddy nodded her head and turned away. "And you didn't TELL me??"

Cuddy turned back to Leah. "Just like you didn't tell me about you and him? And you got pregnant by him. I mean you even LIED about who the father was! That's HUGE. Are you mad because I didn't tell you or are you mad because it happened?"

"You didn't tell me." Her answer was too quick to be believed. Cuddy picked up on it right away.

"Listen…" Cuddy stood behind Leah and they faced the bathroom mirror, steam from the shower quickly filling the room. "…you want him to see you in that dress. If you didn't you wouldn't have bought it." She squeezed Leah's shoulders to stop her protesting. "Yes you do. Don't deny it. But I'm warning you. House has this uncanny ability to get women in his bed, no matter how much of a jerk he is. You know that; I know that. The difference now is that I don't want to be there but you obviously do. Yes you do; don't shake your head. You yell and roll your eyes and snark with him till the cows come home but you still want him. It's obvious. And he obviously wants you in his bed. I would guess he's wanted you for 25 years. Everybody knows it; it's hard to miss. Just be on your guard and you can outfox the snake." She smiled at Leah in the bathroom mirror. "Now, hurry up and get clean. Jaymie and Billy should be here in about…" She looked at her watch. 5:00. "…thirty minutes. We'll help each other get ready so you'll be beautiful when Wilson comes to pick you up." Cuddy turned to leave but stopped and turned back around. "Normally I wouldn't push people I love and care about at House; they don't deserve that kind of torture. But he's not himself when he's with you. He's so much better and YOU do that for him." Cuddy shrugged then smiled. "If anything, the sex would be fantastic." Cuddy giggled at Leah's appalled face as she shut the door behind her. Leah turned to the half-fogged mirror and briefly contemplated Cuddy's words before rushing to catch the shower before it ran cold.

*****

It was almost 6:30, and everybody was congregated in the living room, waiting for Wilson's appearance to pick up Leah. Despite her previous misgivings, Leah felt like a princess in the dress, so light and airy in its weight that the dress lightly kissed her calves when she moved. She'd thought she'd relaxed…until she tried walking in those 4½ inch black heels and nearly fell over. Cuddy laughed and helped steady her. "Ok, you've either been out of girl clothes way too long or you're still really nervous." Cuddy could feel the trembling in Lisa's hands. "You're shaking like a leaf! Come on, it won't be so bad. You'll get through the speech then you can sit down all night and chow down." Leah turned away and took a deep breath before practicing her walk around Cuddy's living room. "You're still nervous about House!! Honey, I don't think he'll be able to keep his hands off you."

"What if I don't want his hands on me??" The others looked at each other and burst out laughing, Billy holding his stomach and shaking his head. Leah rolled her eyes and changed the subject. "I don't know why you talked me into these shoes. They were horribly expensive and I don't think I'll make it through the night."

Cuddy smiled and picked up a small box from the sofa. "That's why I bought you these slippers. When those get to be too much we'll keep these in my office."

"Oh Lise! What can I say??"

"That you'll do something about House. This is getting ridiculous."

The doorbell rang before Leah could answer and she sighed with relief. Cuddy rolled her eyes, shook her head and went to the door. Leah couldn't see anything but she heard what was said. "Why, Dr. Wilson! What a pleasure to see you! You're looking so handsome in your tuxedo. To what do we owe this pleasure of your visit??"

Wilson shook his head at Cuddy's dripping tone. "Why, Dr. Cuddy! Don't you look beautiful!" She curtsied and smiled her thanks. "I'm here to pick up the Belle of the Ball. Is she ready?"

Leah smiled from the other room as she picked up her wrap from the club chair in the corner of the living room. Wilson and Cuddy stepped into the room and he was floored by her appearance. "Oh Holy Mother of…" Wilson exclaimed before he realized how impolite such a statement was. He cleared his throat and took in her appearance, getting a better view of the back. "I mean, you look absolutely stunning."

She smiled and wrapped herself in the gauzy wrap, a mere accessory as the summer was humid and sweltering, and grabbed her matching evening bag. Leah cautiously stepped toward Wilson, thankful her legs weren't quite so nervous, thereby making the walk in the tall platforms not quite so cumbersome. Unfortunately they did make her just a hair taller than Wilson, a situation she was not used to. Clearing her throat she looked back at Cuddy who held up the slipper box. "They'll be in my office should you need them."

"What?" Wilson asked as he lightly took her arm.

"She bought me some slippers in case I can't make it through the evening with this stilts."

He looked at them. "Those are some tall shoes."

Cuddy smirked. "Jaymie, Billy and I will meet you over there soon. That is, unless you want to make a detour on the way…"

Leah shot her a look of horror then turned to Wilson. "Are you ready? Let's go and get this over with." Cuddy just shook her head as they left.

*****

Cuddy, Jaymie and Billy arrived at the main lobby, which had been cordoned off for the fundraiser, few minutes after Leah and Wilson. The good-sized party of around 75 was in full swing as people mingled, some of which had already found clear glasses of liquid courage while others munched expensive hors d'oeuvres. A five-piece orchestra played jazz in a corner. As soon as Cuddy arrived, she escorted Leah around, making introductions and renewing old acquaintances. Leah caused quite the stir, with people watching her and whispering, wondering more about the guest of honor as the women critiqued her appearance and the men wondered what the dress was covering up. The five of them met at the bar once the introductions were done.

"Seltzer with lime," Cuddy said.

"I'll have the same." Leah agreed.

Jaymie leaned to Cuddy. "Aunt Lisa, can we have a drink?"

"Of course you can. You're old enough and it's here. I just don't like to drink at my hospital."

"White wine," Jaymie said.

"Bourbon," Billy ordered.

"Scotch no ice." Wilson turned to Leah after ordering his drink. "So Leah, you look nervous. Haven't you ever given a speech before??"

She visibly relaxed, if only a touch. "Not very often."

"But she loves talking about the clinic and she'll do fine," Jaymie said, wrapping her hand around her mother's arm for comfort. Leah smiled, clearly relaxing a bit more.

Leah suddenly felt someone watching her from behind, and her smile instantly disappeared. Putting a hand to her naked neck, she attempted to warm up the goose pimples that had suddenly appeared. "Is it cold in here?"

Cuddy grinned over Leah's shoulder. "No but a cold-blooded lizard just limped in. I'm sure that's what you feel."

Leah's breath caught and, despite her warring emotions, turned her head slightly to look over her shoulder.

What she saw made her stomach churn faster than a hamster on an exercise wheel. She tried to calm herself as she turned completely around to him but was dumbstruck anyway. House was limping towards her, his long, lean, well-built figure discombobulating her brain cells and sending electricity pulsating through her abdomen. The dark of the tux darkened his eyes while the light of the white shirt brightened his skin. Of course, the scowl wasn't helping but she ignored it as her gaze continued to a black and silver cane and, of course, black Nike running shoes. When her eyes returned to his face he was standing about six feet from her. The man looked as shell-shocked as she felt.

*****

House, tugging at his collar and thumping his dress cane, had seen her the moment he limped into the room. Even from the short distance across the room he'd known it was her and had momentarily forgotten how to breathe. Her back was to him, that smooth, long, slightly tanned back crisscrossed by those delicate dark blue spaghetti straps. He was mesmerized as his eyes followed their path across her soft freckled skin, over the deep canyon of her spine to her small waist, trim ass and smooth hips that screamed of her nakedness.

That dress was driving him insane and he hadn't even seen the front.

Closing the tux jacket in front of his growing erection (_'__**Damn her'**_), he straightened and slowly limped the short distance, ignoring the people around him. The closer he came, the more detail he caught in her loosely curled sun-streaked dark hair, pulled behind her with dark blue beaded combs that seemed to match the beading on the waistline. Her long, delicate hand tipped with shiny, clear smooth nails suddenly went to her naked neck, rubbing it to rid herself of the goose pimples he'd known but hadn't seen. He smirked. House saw Cuddy say something to Leah then her face turned slightly over her shoulder…

And his heart painfully contracted. Her sparkling face, full pink lips, impossibly high cheekbones, long thick eyelashes that framed eyes now more blue than lavender against her rich, vibrant dress was almost too much on him.

Then she turned completely around.

House was overwhelmed by the vision in from of him. This tall beauty looked like a Grecian goddess, with the crinkled silk caressing her very generous bust line and molding them to perfection, leaving a very enticing valley between them. House gripped his cane painfully as he stopped in front of her.

To Leah it was almost like a dream as his blue eyes clearly made love to her smooth skin…

But then he opened his mouth.

"Dressing like a paid escort will only get you what you want for so long then you'll have to actually put out. Where do I sign up??"

"House, don't ruin this for everyone," Cuddy said.

"Then let me leave."

"Not on your life."

House thumped his cane. "Fine. You asked for it." He raised his hand as if to yell something but Leah quickly put down her seltzer and pulled it down.

"I can see this is about me."

DING, DING. DING, DING.

"What's that?" Wilson asked.

"It's time for dinner." Cuddy said, sighing.

Leah didn't take her eyes from House who was staring at her, mentally challenging her to reveal what she was dying to say. "You go Lise; we'll be right there." Cuddy shot Leah a look that said, 'Remember what I said'. She silently shot back, 'Ain't gonna happen. Believe me.'

'_And to think I was nervous about him seeing me…'_

*****


	25. Chapter 24

**CHAPTER 24**

She pulled his arm and they marched as fast as her 4½ inch heels could take her to a nearby alcove with House stumbling behind her. He was too busy watching her ass to pay attention to actual walking. Just around the corner of the alcove Leah pushed him to a bench and stood over him. "I don't want to be here either but this wasn't my idea."

"Then let's get out of here…" House whispered, taking a long hungry look at her bosom that hung in front of him. He grabbed a handful of the delicate silk from her waist, letting it fall from his hand.

"Good idea…just take out the 'let's' and we'll be fine." House's eyebrow rose at her heaving chest.

"Why are you wearing that dress?" House boldly looked in her eyes and raised his hand to the nearest breast. Leah moved away and he frowned at her movement. "You bought the dress for me, didn't you? You wanted to dress sexy for me."

"You've got some nerve to think that."

"If I wasn't around would you have bought it?" He smirked when she didn't say anything. She turned from him and started toward the door but stopped when he grabbed her wrist. Her heaving increased as House stood up, lifted his other hand and traced the skin along the spaghetti straps crossing her back, his eyes watching the goose pimples that sprang up once again. Leah's eyes closed as her skin was set ablaze; his fingers ached from her warm skin, smooth to his touch but painful to his burgeoning manhood.

"I…haaave…" she moaned lightly then almost squealed when he dipped his fingertips in the bottom of the back of the dress. By then he was so close behind her she felt his quick, hot, rough breath on the back of her neck and his hardness against her rear end. Leah couldn't breathe; couldn't move; couldn't think. House's eyes lifted to her hair as he dropped her wrist and all ten of his fingers quickly removed the combs, the long, loose curls spreading across her shoulders and brushing his face. Her moan grew ragged as his fingers ran through her hair; his nose, fingers and erection twitched with her musky arousal and the silky, thick hair that tickled his nose.

Poor Leah: all she wanted to do was make him stop so she could leave.

At least that's what she thought she wanted.

Then why did it take all she had to lean away from him? "We have to go." To her confounding yet disappointed surprise, his hands left her hair and she escaping, walking back to the party without so much of a backwards glance. House gripped her hair combs in his hands and leaned against the nearby wall to fight for control. Pulling out his omnipresent prescription bottle he popped two Vicodin and rubbed his leg.

There had only been two people in his life that could get him this upset. The first was the man he thought was his father, the man that had made his childhood a living hell. But he'd been able to keep himself from the Marine by moving away and only calling his mother once every year, if that. In some way he was able to get away from that demon man. He could handle it.

This woman was the other.

But unlike his father House could never escape Leah. Leah was the standard to which he held every other woman. It wasn't until he met Stacy that he found someone as close to Leah as he had ever found. And he didn't wait, jumping into that relationship with as much as he was willing to give of himself to someone who wasn't actually Leah. It had been as good as he expected for such a half-hearted effort…until she permanently maimed him. That was when he closed up forever.

Until Leah came back.

It hurt to be with her. His leg hurt. His head hurt. His penis hurt. But his heart hurt the most. Every time she pulled from him it ached just a bit more. It only made him that much more upset. House was as far from romantic as possible, and those so-called 'feelings' he was having just pissed him off even more. He'd been convinced for so long that this sort of crap wasn't possible that it scared the living shit out of him when he found out it really was.

Without a thought to the contrary House pulled himself together because he knew he had to get in there. The torture itself was too sweet.

It was a gorgeous, lavender-eyed, full-breasted, long-legged, smart-as-hell torture.

Life didn't get any better than that.

*****


	26. Chapter 25

**I think I should tell you right now that I have changed the rating of this story from T to M. In a few chapters you will know why. I had intended it to be T but…the M was calling to me.**

**CHAPTER 25**

Leah's shaky legs somehow got her to her table where she found everyone waiting for her. Cuddy's eyebrows rose. "You're hair is down." Leah still didn't know how to react so she just nodded. "Where are your combs?"

"Oh…um…" Leah's countenance was confused which only confused everyone else. "…I um…I don't…I don't know."

"What's going on?"

*****

Once House gained some semblance of composure he limped into the dining area to find everyone sitting down, murmuring about the newest kidney dialysis, medicines or procedures. He scanned the room and quickly found Leah sitting beside Wilson and Cuddy. He studied her face, her confusion and agitation clear on the face that was framed by curls still mussed from his fingers.

The same fingers that ached to touch her again, to feel her skin on their very tips.

Quick thoughts, like those of an old black-and-white projector, flicked across his mind's eye. Images of his scruffy lips leaving scratches along her taut stomach as it arched into his mouth…of her hands in his hair…of her moans filling some obscure room, hanging low over their feverish bodies as they…

Someone bumped him from behind, hurtling him a bit forward and knocking him from his trance. With a few decisive cane thumps, House slowly limped to the table, his eyes never leaving her incredible face. Suddenly he stopped. It seemed that all seats were taken at the table and his face fell. Leah caught his presence before anyone else…she could always do that, even back in college…and his disappointed look before he could cover up. Without smiling and seemingly a bit more agitated, she pointed to a woman was sitting who was turned away and talking to someone at the next table. "Excuse me? I'm sorry." The woman turned to Leah. "This seat was saved."

The woman stood up. "Of course. I was just talking; my seat is over there. I'm sorry."

Leah smiled. "It's ok." The woman said her goodbye and left. Leah looked at House. "Right there."

House's eyebrow rose. "And what if I don't want to sit there?"

Leah's face froze and she looked at Wilson, his water glass frozen to his mouth, who was sitting between herself and the vacant spot. She looked back at House and could see he was fighting her. She shrugged. "Fine. It's up to you. Dr. Wilson saved you the seat but if you don't want to sit there I can't make you." She turned away from him and asked Cuddy, "When do I go on?"

This pissed House off even more. House looked around and saw that seat was truly the only one left in the room. Sighing dramatically he limped to it and pulled it out further. "There are no other seats so I guess I'll just sit here." He dropped into it with a huff and Cuddy covered up her smile. Leah managed to hide her own surprisingly pleased smile behind her water glass.

"Ok Leah…" Cuddy said when the salad came. "…we're going to eat then Dr. Gwen Boyer from the American Society of Nephrology will introduce you. Tell them about your clinic and all the breakthroughs you're making. There will be another social hour and the night will end by presenting you with a giant fake check for the money for the clinic."

"Can we speed this along? You know how much I hate these things." Leah took a bite of her Caesar salad.

Cuddy shook her head. "I wish I could but it's not my show. You could give a short speech, and maybe I could see if they'll combine social hour with the check presentation. How's that?"

"Better."

*****

The rest of the meal went by fairly smoothly as Leah interacted with the other doctors at the large table. She was constantly aware of House's staring, his brilliant blues taking in her every word, her every gesture. Wilson, who'd been aware of what his friend was doing, just like the rest of the table, sighed during the filet mignon. "House," Wilson leaned over and whispered to the blue-eyed annoyance. "You've got to stop staring. You just look moon-eyed."

"I'm not staring…" House said quite loudly so Leah could hear him. "…I'm undressing her with my eyes. Mental fornication just isn't the same as physical fornication, is it Jimmy?"

"You've been undressing her through three courses and forty-five minutes." Wilson hissed, ignoring House's embarrassing words and taking a peek at Leah's suddenly agitated face. "It doesn't take forty-five minutes to undress her."

House's voice grew louder. "It does when she's wearing a black patent leather bustier, matching leather hot pants, chaps and chocolate sauce. You've got to allow time for licking."

Jaymie threw down her dessert fork. Her next comment surprised everybody. "Oh would you two just have sex and get it over with? I don't think I can take watching you two like this. You're about ready to rip each other's clothes off anyway."

"Jaymie!" Leah exclaimed, ignoring the surprised but somewhat pleased look on House's face. "That wasn't called for."

"I'm game if you are Rogaine. What do you say, right now? You should tell your date…" He pointed to Wilson. "…you won't be going home with him. We really should wait until the kiddies leave though…"

Now Leah was infuriated. She felt betrayed by her daughter and angry at the man in question. Leah gripped her fists together and opened her mouth to try an admonishment but the microphone whined and thumped, interrupting her intentions.

"Hello? Ladies and gentlemen? Can you hear me??"

Cuddy leaned over and whispered. "Saved by the bell."

Leah's gaze didn't leave House's as she muttered, "You got that right."

"Jaymie's right you know."

Leah looked at her friend in horror. "No she's not."

"Yes she is. If I've told you once, I'll tell you again: do something about House. When he walked in and you two saw each other, I thought you were gonna drop right there and go for it. It's very clear that attraction is still there but now it's much more intense. Very curious what time can do. Maybe absence does make the heart grow fonder or, in your case, abstinence makes the body more desperate. What's so wrong about pursuing something with House?"

"Welcome Ladies and Gentlemen to Princeton-Plainsboro Teaching Hospital! We are here tonight…" A grinning woman with a black dress and pearly white teeth smiled as she held the microphone, clearly loving being the center of attention.

"What's wrong with you Lisa?" Leah hissed under her breath so only Cuddy could hear. "You know what's wrong…he's Monkee Boy, annoying, childish and a selfish jerk. And if it did turn into anything else…"

"We're here tonight to welcome Dr. Leah Rogan. She's a board certified Nephrologist living in…"

"…there's no way we can make it work. I have a clinic in Wyoming I'm not giving up for him…"

"…she established, and runs, a 30-bed general clinic with plans to expand…"

"…and…and it just wouldn't work. That's it."

"…and Dr. Rogan is considered the top Nephrologist in the Pacific Northwest…"

Cuddy was watching Leah. "Who says it has to be serious? Take what you want and dump him."

"Please give a warm round of applause…"

"I can't do that again!" Leah exclaimed and waved her finger at Cuddy who could barely hear her. "I can't go through that again!"

"…for Doctor Leah Rogan!"

"Leah! Leah!!" Cuddy hissed but Leah ignored her as she sighed, threw her napkin on the table and looked at House. He had, of course, been watching them but hadn't heard what was being said. His eyes studied her critically. Leah stood up and turned away.

*****


	27. Chapter 26

**CHAPTER 26**

The presentation and speech went very well. Her family was right: with the pictures she stored on the laptop, Leah had plenty of material to fully inform the crowd. The speech ended with thunderous applause and many congratulations after she stepped off the podium. Dr. Boyer took back the microphone. "Ok everyone, it's time for a bit of dancing and socializing. We have an orchestra and a dance floor just off to the side. So have fun, enjoy yourself and thank you for coming!!" Dr. Boyer stepped from the podium and the attendees moved to the dance floor which was really the lobby in front of the elevators on the first floor.

Leah turned to Cuddy but she was off to the side of the podium, animatedly speaking with a very well dressed man. It was clear Cuddy had a vested interest in what he was saying but Leah couldn't make it out. Leah then looked at Wilson but he was leading Jaymie to the dance floor, stranding Leah with…House. Leah realized she needed to talk to him, face to face without being interrupted, and figured this was as good a time as any. She begrudgingly stood up and moved to his chair. "Dance with me."

He looked at her like she was suddenly sprouting broccoli from her ears. "Just exactly where have you been?" House thumped his cane. "I have a gimpy leg. I can't dance. What about your date? Wouldn't he be upset you're dumping him for me?"

"Yes you can dance and no he won't be upset. I promised I'd put out later tonight so he won't care if I dance with you." House narrowed his eyes as she grabbed his arm. "Come on." He watched her and quickly weighed the options: limp around without his cane, make a fool of himself and be in pain or…hold her in his arms, feel her body against his and her warm skin under his hands.

With a sigh he stood up and leaned his cane against the table. "Fine. Let's make it quick."

Leah dragged him to the middle of the dance floor. The orchestra was playing a slow song and the couples silently moved along, their eyes locked on their partner, the clock or someone across the room. House looked petrified of the woman who faced him. He really didn't want to be in this situation, with her looking and smelling this good and being this close to him on a dance floor. House wasn't a good dancer even when both his legs worked.

Leah stepped closer and breathed, "It's ok…Greg." His countenance lifted with as she took his right hand and put it on her waist then grabbed his left hand. "Now move with me Greg." He moved on cue, her very presence entrancing him into whatever she wanted him to do. Soon they were lost in a world of their own, their eyes speaking so much of what their mouths refused to utter. Suddenly House moved his hand down to her ass and pulled her closer, his erection pulsating against her lower abdomen. Leah's head whirled as she held on tighter.

"What did you want Leah?"

She couldn't answer right away; her mind had gone blank. "Um…I…" House smirked as he studied how the tiny crow's feet around her eyes deepened then smoothed over, deepened then smoothed over as she tried to think of what to say next. "…I was thinking about…"

He pressed harder against her, grinning at her tiny gasp of alarm. "What were you thinking about?"

"Um…I was thinking about your leg. What happened?"

"Doesn't everyone know what happened? The medical community is as chatty as a high school girl's locker room. Word spreads."

"And just how do you know that?"

"I have my sources."

"I'm sure. Seriously, tell me, in your words, what happened. Or do you not trust me?"

He paused, his Nikes shuffling them slowly around the floor. "How much did Cuddy tell you?"

Leah shrugged. "Everyone knows it's an infarction that went untreated for three days. Everyone knows that Cuddy was put in charge of your care once it was found. But who found it?"

"I did. That ass of a doctor couldn't do his job and find the problem quick enough."

"It probably wasn't an easy find. You came in for drugs and wanted a hit. Who'd believe a drug addicted doctor??"

He narrowed his eyes. "Is that what you believe I am?"

Leah shook her head. "I don't know you well enough to believe one way or another. That's the thing Greg: we had that semester; we had that mistake…"

"Stop calling it a mistake!!" His voice grew, drawing curious attention from the partygoers.

"…and that was it. I don't know…you."

"You knew enough 25 years ago to sleep with me; you know enough right now to be dancing with me. What do you think I am??"

Her large eyes watched his face, his scruff, his nose, his lips, his ears, anywhere but his eyes. "I think its Berger's."

House was instantly confused. "Burgers? As in hamburgers?"

"As in the disease. I keep thinking about Berger's disease."

House sighed. "Why?"

"It's just a hunch."

"You should know by now I don't work on instinct. I have no place for those 'gut feelings' or 'intuitions' or whatever New Age crap you might throw at me."

Her lavender eyes studied his blues which had become so serious so quickly. "So it wasn't instinct that made you kiss me in college?"

"No. At least _I_ knew _you_ then. I kissed you because you wanted it as much as I did and stop shaking your head. I can read you much better than you think I can."

"Oh yeah? And what am I saying?"

He pulled her tighter still and leaned forward, his warm lips sending chills down her spine. "Your mouth says no but your breasts say yes. Stop fighting me…" He grew silent as they continued swaying: him enjoying her body, her trying to make sense of everything in her head. Soon the song ended but they didn't notice the people leaving the floor and clapping the band for a job well done. The bandleader, seeing the couple still moving, smiled and nodded to the others, holding up 3 fingers. The band began playing 'The Way You Look Tonight'; they could've been playing Polka music for all the nephrologists knew. Suddenly House's hand moved up her back, his fingers once again tracing those straps that went across her back. He seemingly couldn't get enough of just touching her, feeling her, bringing those tiny goose pimples across her skin and stealing her breath. His mouth brushed her ear. "In college that wasn't instinct. I saw it all over you."

"What if you were wrong?"

"Then I would've known it wasn't instinct."

Leah moved her head so he would face her. She averted her gaze as quickly as he'd caught it, moving from his luscious blue orbs to his mouth and stubbly jaw. She gently traced the stubble jaw from ear to chin, her nerves racing as fast as his breath, its rate increasing the longer her finger strayed across his face. "When we know what's going on with Jaymie I'm going home." Her nail played with his throat, her eyes unwilling to look up at him as she gave him her news. They kept moving until the song ended but she hadn't looked him in the eye and he hadn't said anything. She stopped as the people around them clapped and the band's conductor said, "We're taking a break then be back. Stick around." Leah looked up and saw the confused agitation on his face. "Did you hear me? I said we're…"

"I heard you!" He barked and Leah jumped back. House tightened his hold on her.

"House, you really should get that hearing tested. What's so hard about…??"

House's eyes changed to contemplation as they took a faraway look. Suddenly he pulled up straight and his head tilted the same way when he was the first to discover the vasculitis. "How did you say she lost her hearing?"

"She was in a car accident as a child."

"Was it both ears or just one?"

"Her right one."

"What was the percentage of hearing lost?"

Leah studied him the detective's look. It was akin to the hunting dogs in abundance back home in Wyoming. It was clear he was on the trail of something, and it made her all the more curious. "Not much, maybe 10% at the most."

He looked at her and smiled. "I'm so much better at this than you are."

"What?"

Reluctantly he let her go and limped toward the freight elevator; the main lobby was locked for the party. She quickly returned to the table, all the occupants having watched the scene from when House shouted at Leah. Leah looked at Cuddy. "I think House might've solved the case."

"My case?" Jaymie asked.

Leah nodded. "I think we should follow him."

"He's probably going back to his office." Wilson said, making a beeline for the exit.

Leah slid off the heels. "Come on! We've got to get up there!"

"But what about…??" Cuddy asked, waiting for a response.

"Please accept the money for me then come up. I've got to be there." Leah grabbed the shoes in one hand, her long skirt in another, and took off after Wilson, with Jaymie and Billy following behind.

*****


	28. Chapter 27

**CHAPTER 27**

When everyone arrived at the conference room, they found House untying his tuxedo's bowtie and throwing it on the table. His juniors, not invited to the party, were sitting around the conference table, clearly surprised to see everybody following House. Leah and the group arrived just as they heard House say, "Once again, Daddy has all the answers. I don't even know why I hired you bunch of apes anyway."

13 looked exasperated. "Ok, what's going on?"

"I think he knows what's going on with Jaymie." Leah said, finding an empty chair.

"Great. You're all here. I work best in front of an audience." House unbuttoned his top two buttons and turned to the whiteboard. "PROTEINURIA"; "HEMATURIA"; "THROMBOCYTOPENIA"; "KIDNEY BLEED" were already listed underneath 'JAYMAKINS'.

Jaymie narrowed her eyes and pointed at the whiteboard. "Stop calling me Jaymakins. I hate that name."

"Really? I'm sorry Jaymakins. How about Jay-Jay? Jaymarino? Jay-malamadingdong?"

"How about a punch in the nose?"

"Really? Come on…make it hurt oh so good."

Leah was getting upset. "Shut up you two." She ignored the smirk House threw her as he turned to the whiteboard and wrote "HEARING LOSS". She tilted her head and pointed to the board as House capped the black marker and threw it at Kutner who caught it just before it hit him square in the forehead. "But the hearing loss was from the auto accident. I already told you."

"When Jaymbo came to the clinic I was standing next to her left ear and she couldn't hear me. It would seem it just wasn't my 'high-pitched whiny voice' that she couldn't hear. Her hearing's getting worse." Leah's eyes widened and she looked at Jaymie.

"Did that happen Jaymie?"

Jaymie shrugged. "I don't know; I can't remember."

"Do you ever have trouble hearing out of your left ear?"

"Every once in awhile but it's not serious. I thought it had to do with my right ear." She looked at everyone. "Why? What does it mean?"

Leah looked at House. "But…!!" Her eyes widened and she shook her head incredulously. "NO! She couldn't have…could she?" House nodded. "But her mother didn't have anything remotely close to that. And there are other conditions that are closer to that."

House shrugged. "Mama could've been a carrier and never exhibited symptoms. Why Jay-Jay-Bo-Bay is having symptoms is beyond me. What about her father?"

"What does she have?" Billy asked, growing increasingly upset when they wouldn't give him a straight answer.

"Mama Helen said he died when I was born but she never talked about him." She paused. "I've often wondered if she even knew my father. Now tell me what's going on!"

House looked at the fellowship doctors. "What do you think it could be?" They studied the whiteboard but their frowns increased. He sighed and shook his head. "You kids are sad." House limped to a bookcase and, scanning the stack, found a thick leather bound book. "Here…see what you can find." The book thumped as it landed on the glass table.

Leah leaned over to read the cover. "'NATIONAL ORGANIZATION OF RARE DISEASES'." Her eyebrow lifted. "You have a NORD listing of rare diseases?"

"What? Don't be so surprised. I keep current." He paused. "It was a free gift with the purchase of their charity swimsuit calendar."

Leah snorted. "Was it worth it?"

"I'm not sure. I never thought a 65-year-old Asian man in Speedos was attractive but, then, there are those who do. They could've at least hired models instead of using their own research doctors. They didn't even have the decency to warn us." House shivered from the thought. He cocked his head. "You know, that could be the reason they sent me a t-shirt that said 'I SURVIVED THE 2008 NORD SWIMSUIT CALENDAR'. Maybe they were apologizing for the pain and suffering they caused from that calendar. Anyway…" House opened it to the As. "…start there."

Taub's eyes widened and his stance became defiant. "There are thousands of diseases listed! Why should we if you already know the answer?"

"Ok, ok. I'll give you a hint." House flipped to the index, found the page he needed and pointed to the entry. "There. Is that good enough?"

The ducklings leaned over and Kutner read "ALPORT'S DISEASE". He looked at House in confusion. "Alport's?" House regarded him without a confirmation or denial. "Isn't that a nephrological disorder?"

House's eyebrow rose. "How do you know that?"

Kutner looked at Leah for confirmation and she nodded. "I remember hearing only a little bit about it in med school but I never studied it. How can a kidney disease cause hearing loss?"

House pointed to Leah. "Explain."

"Alport's Disease is a rare hereditary Nephrological disease that's caused by mutations in the genes that produce collagens, specifically the collagens that are important for the structure of basement membranes in the kidney, inner ear and eye."

"What are basement membranes?" Jaymie asked.

"Thin, sheet-like structures that separate and support cells in many tissues," Kutner jumped in, happy to be of assistance.

"But how can mutations in collagens in the ear and eye cause thrombocytopenia, hematuria and proteinuria??" Billy asked.

Leah was proud of his intelligence. It would seem he was understanding this process better than a lot of others she'd encountered as a doctor. "When the basement membranes of the kidneys are underdeveloped because of malformations of the collagen fibers itself, the basement membranes are unable to filter waste products from the blood, resulting in the inability to create urine properly and the allowance of blood and protein to enter the urine."

House could see how 13 was beginning to understand just by the look on her face. "And these mutations account for hearing loss because they effect the basement membranes in the inner ear." Both nephrologists nodded.

Jaymie looked happy they seemed to know what it was but concerned as she had no idea what it would do to her. "So how do you know for sure it's Alport's??"

House thumped the whiteboard with his cane. "We have a skin biopsy already. We can run a collagen test on that but we should do a kidney biopsy."

Leah shook her head. "Shouldn't we check for Thin Basement Membrane Nephropathy? The symptoms are very similar and the outcome is much better. Kidney biopsies can be dangerous."

"Dangerous? What outcome? What do you mean? What could happen to me?"

House ignored her as he stepped closer to Leah. "TBM Nephropathy rarely progresses to proteinuria and hearing loss."

"But we don't know if she even HAS additional hearing loss."

House studied her, his look defiant and agitated. Leah had gone from really sexy colleague to really sexy but extremely annoying loved one. House didn't work well with loved ones. "Fine. Kutner…" He slowly turned to him and stuck his cane out. "…test both her ears for bilateral sensorineural loss between the 2000 and 8000 Hz range. Taub…" House shoved his cane at him. "…do a kidney biopsy…"

"Bu…" Leah began to object.

"…and renal tests."

"You haven't answered me!" Jaymie was getting upset; she was being ignored again and, frankly, she was getting sick and tired of it. "What's going to happen to me??"

"You could develop kidney failure, if you haven't already." House said, without missing a beat.

Jaymie looked at her mother in horror. "Is that true??"

Leah was hoping the revelation would've been delivered in a more, well, sensitive than what House was doing but what could she do? It was too late and to reprimand him in front of everyone certainly wouldn't change anything. She stood up and went over to her daughter, pulling her into her arms then pulled out a chair for Jaymie. Once Jaymie was settled Leah removed the clips so her hair hung to her shoulders and began stroking it in the way that had always comforted Jaymie. "It depends on the inheritance pattern."

"What do you mean by inheritance pattern?" Billy asked as he sat beside his wife and pulled her into his arms. Leah looked at House who looked was clearly impatient.

Leah sat back and smoothed her dress. Her reasoning for the dress had suddenly become moot at the turn of events. "Alport's, just like any other inherited disease, is inherited based on how the gene mutated. In the case of Alport's, the inheritance pattern determines not only the symptoms but the degree to which you have the symptoms. In order to determine what will happen in the future we need to know exactly which pattern you inherited Alport's."

13 looked impressed. "You remember all of this?"

Leah nodded, looking at House. "I have a photographic memory."

That surprised House. "Really?" Leah nodded. "I never knew that. So that means…???"

"Yes Dr. House. It means what you think. I can suppress but I can't forget." Leah turned back to Jaymie who was watching her with curiosity but Leah began speaking before Jaymie could interject. "For most patients with Alport's, it's inherited in an X-linked pattern. You know that DNA has 23 pairs but the pair can be XX or XY, depending on your gender?" Jaymie nodded. "Ok. When the genetic mutation is X linked from one carrier, it means the only gene that's mutated is on the X chromosome. In the case of males, since they have one X chromosome and one Y chromosome, most males with X-linked Alport's have the most extreme symptoms. Why? There's no corresponding X chromosome to buffer the effects of Alport's. In the case with Alport's, males generally develop kidney failure. However, since women have two X chromosomes, the effects of the mutation on one of the X chromosomes is buffered by the other intact X chromosome. It's like the gene of the healthy X chromosome compensate and, most of the time, they don't develop kidney failure. In fact, most of the females who get it don't have extreme symptoms, if they have symptoms at all. They could just be carriers. Are you having trouble with your vision?" Jaymie shook her head. "Vision problems are another symptom of Alport's because the same genes that create the collagen for the basement membranes in the kidneys and ears also create for the basement membranes in the eye. The best way to determine what your chances of kidney failure are is to have a genetic test but genetic testing is expensive and time consuming. Only certain medical labs have the equipment to perform the necessary tests."

"What do you think I should do?" Jaymie asked.

"I think you should have the genetic test, just to make sure. We can have the sample drawn here and send it off. We'll run the other tests and get those results. Then we'll go home…" she slipped a look at House who had turned away from her at those words, "…and have the tests sent to Wyoming. When we find out for sure we'll determine what course of action to proceed with."

"Do you think it's Alport's??" Billy asked, his eyes filling with hope for something not so dangerous.

But Leah couldn't lie. She nodded. "Yes, it's beginning to look like that. My advice would be to do what Dr. House and the other doctors suggest. Dr. House is the best diagnostian you could ever have. You are very blessed to have him as a doctor. I'll be here with you."

Jaymie looked at the other doctors who were watching her except for House who had walked to his desk. She nodded with resignation. "Can we come back tomorrow? I'm tired and need to absorb this. I just want to go to sleep."

Leah shrugged. "I don't see why not. Your symptoms are very slight and you aren't in any danger in any way, far from it. In fact, let's just take the rest of the weekend off and we'll come back on Monday." She turned to the rest of the doctors who were amazed at the medical genius in front of them. "Will that be a problem?"

Kutner shrugged. "I don't see why not. If it is you'll hear from House. But I think you should take it easy and just come back. We'll be here."

Leah nodded. "Great." She turned to Cuddy who, along with Wilson, had been watching the entire scene with intense interest and amazement. "Lisa, could you take them back to the hotel?"

"Sure. What about you??"

Leah looked at House again, his back to them as he sat at his desk. "I think I need to talk to Greg, open and honestly." She looked back at them. "Don't worry about me." After saying her goodbyes and comforting hugs to Jaymie, Leah stepped to House's office door and pushed it open.

*****


	29. Chapter 28

**WARNING: You've reached the chapter that explains why I changed the rating. Just thought I'd warn you. **

**CHAPTER 28**

"I didn't think you were one to walk out of your own grand presentation. Don't you like to flaunt your medical machoness and slap us in the face with your big words and huge brain?"

He didn't turn around. "I've done my job. You can go home now. I'm sure the cows miss you."

"They're ok; we email." Leah watched for a movement, a sign…something. Nothing. He wasn't moving, just staring out the window at the dark sky. Leah wasn't sure she wanted to fight for him. She just wasn't sure about anything except…

…Wyoming wasn't enough anymore. Her clinic wasn't enough anymore.

That once comfortable and familiar life just didn't seem like enough anymore.

Leah didn't know what to do so she turned around to leave when House whispered, just loud enough for her to hear, "Yeah, run away like you do so well."

She stopped and turned around. "I'm not running away."

"Yes you are."

"Turn around. I won't have this discussion to your bald head. If you want to talk be a man. Turn around." House slowly did as bid and leaned back in his chair, his hands folded over his stomach. "I'm not running away. I didn't come here for anything other than the convention. It's over. Jaymie's diagnosed. You'll run the tests. We go home. We do have Western medicine in Wyoming you know. We'll treat her there. We don't belong here anymore."

"You're so screwed up you don't know which way you're going."

Leah paused, her ire rising faster with each millisecond. "I guess you would know better than anyone else if someone's screwed up or not. But how am I that screwed up?"

House unfolded his hands but didn't move them from his stomach. "You're afraid."

"Pot calling kettle black."

"The least you could've done was to be honest to your cheating husband."

"Honest about what? He's the one that cheated on me. And how much do you know about that?"

"Enough."

"I didn't know he cheated until well after his death."

"Like I care." House leaned forward, shed his tuxedo coat and leaned across the desk.

Leah was caught in a situation she needed to get out of. Quickly. So she resorted to junior high antics. Gesticulating wildly and looking at everywhere but him she said, "I find you repulsive."

"Liar, liar, pants on fire."

"How can anyone like you? You're obnoxious, crude and a jerk. You have no real redeeming qualities except the ability to get on everyone's nerves. No real woman would want you."

House's yawn was blasé. "If that's the case why do all the women who sleep with me scream, 'I love you!' as they reach carnal ecstasy?"

"They're thinking about someone else."

"Ouch. That hurt." House's tone matched his yawn. "Then count yourself as fake because you want me. But why would I want you? Why would I want a woman who gets pregnant by someone else, knows it's someone else's kid, refuses to tell the real father, passes off the kid as her boyfriend's then, when the kid dies, makes the other guy think it's his when it isn't?"

Leah was shocked. That was the last thing she expected to hear from him, now of all times. "Wha…how…how do you know about that?"

"Your daughter has a big mouth but, then, so do all blondes. Why do you think the majority of hookers are blonde?"

Leah was so furious she couldn't do anything except look away. She turned and saw that the conference room was dark. They were alone. _Good. I can yell without an audience._ She turned back to find him watching her. For the life of him he couldn't take his eyes from her beauty.

It was like college again.

He'd lost count of how many times she'd pissed him off, embarrassed him, got the best of him during class but all he had to do was look at her and he'd kept coming back for more. That's why he loved her. And yes, he could finally admit that to himself. He loved her. He loved her for 25 years. He loved her during the darkness of depression after she left. He loved her during the friendless nights of living alone and feeling unloved and rejected. He loved her during the dark Stacy days, even when he hated her at the same time for putting him in that situation in the first place. It didn't even matter that he had no idea if Leah would've prevented him from going down that road to begin with or not. He was mad at losing the chance.

Leah stepped closer but kept her distance. She knew that if she got too close it might be too much. Downstairs had been overwhelming and it still hung over them like a cartoon thundercloud. "Would it make any difference if I explained myself?"

He shook his head. "I already know the reason. The reason doesn't matter anyway. You didn't tell me."

"It wasn't your place to know."

This pissed House off even more. "Not my place?! I was the father; I had every right to know. You had no right to keep that child from me."

Leah was losing control of this very quickly. She was mad at House and herself for getting out of control with him. But it felt so good to hurt him like he hurt her. Oh sure, she had no right to that demand but she didn't care. "What does it matter? You would've told me to abort it anyway. I couldn't hear those words from you."

House's blue eyes flashed as he shot from the chair and limped towards her, stopping several feet from her. Leah instantly regretted what she said, only because it seemed to genuinely hurt him. But she didn't regret saying it because she felt it needed to be said. "You don't know that."

"You wouldn't have wanted a baby and you'd have made a lousy father. We both know that. We both had a better life without you knowing about it. Besides, Jake thought it was his. He was so happy to be a dad. He was thinking about how to support the three of us through med school and we had a list of names we were considering…"

House couldn't believe the sudden jealousy that raged through him. "Well isn't that just lovely?" He glared at Leah. "But it wasn't your right to assume that for me."

"Is this about your right or about the child?"

"Were you ever going to tell me?"

"Lisa knew but thought it was Jake's; Jaymie had no idea I was ever pregnant. I was the only person who ever knew who the real father was." She took a breath, as if to weigh her next words. "I wasn't going to tell Lisa I was coming here. I was going to do everything in my power to avoid you. Figure it out Sherlock."

"You worked hard to never speak to me again. Hell, you moved across the country to get away from me."

"I didn't move to get away from you. I moved because I wanted to marry the man who loved me."

"Who later screwed around on you."

"I never spoke to you again because I couldn't see you again. I didn't move away until after med school. I was engaged to Jake who absolutely wasn't you. Jake was good for me. He was comfortable. He wasn't surprising and he didn't aggravate me."

He watched her seriously. "You met Jake a month after you left me. You had a month to contact me and you didn't. Why?"

And Leah's last thread of control snapped. "Because you scared the living shit out of me!" Her voice rose one decibel with each word until she was practically screaming. "You still do!" Her gestures grew wilder as House's face smoothed over to animated listening.

"Every time I saw…see…you, every time you embarrassed me, every time we talk…talked…you stirred…stir…me like I'd never been stirred. It was like someone turned on a generator, fueling the arcs of electricity. I was so young and so serious about my future that I knew if I tried anything with you my life would change completely. That's why I kept pushing you away. That's why I gave you mixed signals. I wanted you but knew I couldn't have you." _**And to think you were never going to tell him. Stupid girl. **_"I had to get away from you. I had to cut you out of my life. Then I met Jake and he was…safe. He was predictable and understanding and thoughtful and we had the same goals. I could continue to have control over my life and still be with him. With him I…" She paused. "…almost…" House had to lean closer to hear her. "…forgot you." He grinned and she backpedalled. "But you were so different from him. God, you were this obnoxious and annoying and degrading and…and…" she gestured some more as House limped closer and stopped only about a few feet from her. "…and pathetic skinny dweeb with killer eyes and a sexy brain. You knew everything and made sure everyone knew it. But I knew that if I pursued anything with you, everything I worked so hard for would've been gone faster than my clothes that day. I would've become consumed by you and I couldn't let that happen." She didn't continue when she felt his hands on her arms, pulling her closer. If she'd looked up she would've seen his smiling face, happy to hear those words from her mouth that so echoed his own.

His voice lowered as he leaned in even closer. "You want me so bad you can't see straight. You're as afraid now as in college. You married a good ole country boy who you thought you could mold and ply to your desires. But he cheated on you because he didn't have what we had…" He leaned down and kissed her, his lips demanding and his tongue intrusive. House pulled away desperately. "…he couldn't leave you sweating and begging for more; he didn't have to work for you…"

_Work for me??_ "What…" she pulled away, her mind swimming at the sensations coursing through her body and pooling between her legs. "…what…do you…mean…?"

"Doesn't matter." He pulled her to himself and kissed her once again, hungrily demanding satisfaction. She wanted to stop…

…she really did.

She knew she needed to stop...

…she really did.

But she was back in college and he was kissing her and she was really, really liking it.

_Oh to hell with it. _Leah pulled away, her bruised lips trembled as she studied his. "Not here. Your apartment."

And House didn't give her time to change her mind.

*****

"Like hell you're leaving, not this time, not again," House growled and pushed her against the door of his apartment, shutting it behind them. He threw his keys on the desk next to the door as his inflamed body…his hands…mouth…erection…were desperate to feel her all over him, covering him, drowning him, sucking out his very soul. Leah writhed with the movements of his hands, every inch of her skin crying out for more. "I wanted more from you…" House demanded as his hands grabbed the bottom of the very gown he suddenly loved above all others, and lifted it higher for access to what was underneath. He was surprised to find her wearing panties; her dress gave no hint of undergarments. "…I wanted a chance." The sensitive nerves around her flat abdomen came alive and jumped violently underneath his soft finger movements. She moaned sharply and House rubbed harder, calming them down. His scruffiness, a new element to this otherwise painfully familiar dance, tickled the soft skin underneath her jaw. "It has been a long time."

Leah's breathing was shallow as she kneaded his shoulders and caressed his muscular upper arms. "You have no idea," Her whisper was hot and quick, her voice low and husky. "You're gonna kill me. You should know how dangerous…ooooh yeaaaaa…" she moaned as his kissed down to her clavicle. "…it is to go from 0 to 100 in no time flat." Her fingers went to his neck and it was his turn to moan as she rubbed his neck, fingering his short hair.

House's hands made quick time with her bikinis, pulling them down her legs as she worked his zipper with sloppy abandon. When she found his hardened, quivering erection, he emitted sounds akin to a strangled animal. Leah grinned and slowly lowered the zipper, the teeth's metallic whir sending a chill down her spine and his whimpers a decibel closer to the ceiling. The tux's trousers sagged on his narrow hips and she pushed them down to find him commando.

"Living life on the wild side, aren't we Dr. House?" Her breath was shallow and quick to match the beating of her heart.

"You know what the Boy Scouts say…" he growled as she slowly stroked his prominent member.

"Always use protection?"

He grinned. "That's Eagle Scout." His teeth yanked her earlobe and she chuckled.

"How long did it take you to get to get Eagle Scout?"

"Shut up and I'll show you." She gasped as House slowly inched a finger, than two, into her throbbing, sopping entrance. Leah rode up and down against the door, matching the movement of the now-two-fingered delight.

"Ah." She moaned, an orgasm quickly building…her first one in five years.

Fitting it should be the asshole to give it to her.

Her chest heaved and her head tilted back as his scruff grazed her pressure points, accelerating the intensity of the feelings. Just as she was about to dive headlong over the edge, House withdrew his fingers, leaving her bereaved.

"What the HELL are you doing?" She tried to sound pissed but her lack of breath prevented that.

He grinned. "Not yet…" He shifted with a grunt and she suddenly felt his moistened tip against her more-than-eager opening.

She leaned forward and placed her mouth against his ear, still trying to catch her breath. "What about your leg? I'm too heavy…"

House couldn't think of anything but ramming his throbbing member deep into her wetness. It was better than any pain medicine. He lifted her higher, holding her against the door as he stared her straight in the eye. Running the head of his penis through her folds he grabbed her hips and growled, "I've waited twenty-five years for this; no fucking leg is gonna stop me now."

She smiled breathlessly into his eyes, took a good long drag from his full, red mouth and nodded. "Show me what you got Monkee Boy."

With a grunt he thrust up deeply inside, filling her completely. Her head fell back to the door as she gasped with the pain. It had been five years since a man had filled her. It would take some adjusting.

But it felt just like it had twenty-five years ago.

Absolutely right.

Meanwhile House was gasping like an animal caught in a trap.

"Are…you…???" House moaned his eyes squeezed tight against the pulsating, warm dampness that hugged his sensitive member like a vice. "…ok…oh gaaaaawwwwddd…" His voice sounded like a strangled animal, his chest heaving with the burden of breathing.

The only description was of a euphoria so painful his whole body shook. He couldn't feel her weight, the adrenaline and hormonal rush were too great.

"Oh Greeeeeeg…" she moaned, suddenly desperate for the friction. Leah moved her pelvis. "Mmmmm…like this big guy…"

House's moaning increased as he quickly began to move, his movements having skipped the initial early slowness and going straight for the quick, hard stuff. "I caaaaa…"

"What??" Her hands grasped the short hair around his ears, her mouth against his jawbone.

The door rattled violently with his increasing thrusts. "I caaaan't hold oooonnn…"

Leah felt the rock-hard steel member engorge even more than she'd ever known possible. She knew he would come before she did (quite a feat considering she was already almost there when they joined) but she didn't care; she felt she owed him for that, at least.

"I know baby…" She gently grasped the base of his steel satin rod, slick with her own dew. She drew her slick fingertips over his balls, caressing them lightly with her nails. "Come for me."

He almost dropped her. "No…you first…" Veins popped out on his forehead.

"Hmmm…you feeeel soooo goooood…" She was quickly losing her restraint; if she didn't get him to agree RIGHT NOW she would come before he did, something she suddenly didn't want. "Come now or I'll leave."

He was gasping for breath. "You wouldn't."

She smiled wickedly and pressed her mouth to his, finding his tongue and sucking as hard as her pussy was sucking his dick. His body shuttered. Her command was urgent. "Do it!"

And with a couple of hard, quick thrusts he came, shooting his warmth inside and grunting her name against her neck.

Leah quickly followed, writhing and screaming his name against his neck. Neither of them felt the impact of the floor as they slid down, each nerve ending so sedated they wouldn't have felt anything anyway.

She lay underneath, her feet holding his ass so he stayed inside, his penis only slightly shrinking as the orgasm subsided. But Leah, more desperate than he seemed to be, wasn't happy with that. "Lean up," she whispered desperately.

"I can't. I have no feeling left in my arms."

"Fine." With whatever little strength she had she pushed him and rolled on top of him, his penis still embedded in her. Despite what they had just done, he was starting to grow rock hard again. Her smile was devilish. "There's my horny bastard," she grunted then removed her dress and threw it down the hall. His eyes widened and his member stiffened even faster. "Now it's my turn."

"You always had to be in control, didn't you…?"

She grinned and began moving…

…and this time she came before he did.

*****


	30. Chapter 29

**CHAPTER 29**

Hours later the couple lay in House's bed and the room looked like a war zone: the pillows were across the room; the sheet was pulled over the foot of the bed; the comforter was thrown over a darkened lamp, thereby breaking it; her expensive dress hung from the nearby bureau and his rented tux littered the hallway. The couple were lying completely exposed, the draft from the central air cooling their spent bodies as House spooned Leah, who was the first to awaken. Her eyes opened to a strange room, one that looked completely different with the morning light that streamed in. The last time she saw it she was being chased by House who then wouldn't let her out of his bed. She sighed as she felt him against her, the light dusting of hair on his chest tickling her back, his long, muscular arm around her waist to hold her firmly in place, his damaged leg straddling her legs and his manhood greeting her happily. Leah looked down at the scar and studied it. It wasn't repulsive; it wasn't hideous. It was just…there. It didn't bother her but she knew how much it bothered him.

Her hand moved from the bed in front of her to his glorious rump, giving it a gentle squeeze before moving down that leg. When she placed her hand on the scar his big hand suddenly closed over hers. "What are you doing?" His sleepy voice, muffled by her hair, asked.

"I'm going to rub your leg."

"Why?"

"Because I bet it hurts." Still not changing positions she shooed his hand away and slowly began massaging, his sleepy groan of pleasure vibrating against her back. She felt his response push harder against her lower back and smiled. "Mmm…good morning to you too, Dr. House. You sound tired. Did you have a busy night or just not sleep well?"

"I haven't slept this well since med school. There was this one night somewhere in there I slept," he murmured in her rumpled hair, his scruff catching stray hairs. He leaned forward and kissed the base of her skull, inhaling her goodness. "Last night I had a very noisy bedmate."

Leah smiled and continued rubbing, enjoying the feel of his fingers as they traced her waist and shoulder then moved to her abdomen. "Ah. What did your bedmate do to keep you awake?"

"All kinds of things." He walked his fingers to her right breast and, playing with the nub, caressing it to submission.

"Ahhh…" she moaned and leaned her head back to his shoulder so her smooth cheek rubbed his rougher one. "…I don't believe you." Her voice was reduced to a husky whisper. "I think you kept her awake. Maybe she had unfinished business." He stopped his stroking. "Did you get it resolved?"

"I think so," He kissed the side of her neck.

Leah moved away from House, rolled over, pushed him down on the bed and quickly moved to straddle him. House smiled; he clearly liked the view because he couldn't remove his eyes from her breasts. He moved his hands up her thighs to her breasts, as if he were weighing them. "Yep, definitely Ds."

Leah watched his eyes and was surprised to see something akin to peace in them. She wasn't sure if that were true but she decided to ask, all the same. "Greg…" Her voice was faltering as his hands were doing a phenomenal job with her breasts. "…would we have made it in college?"

He took his eyes from her chest and found she was regarding him seriously. "I don't know."

"Would we make it now?"

He was startled to hear such talk so early after sex but he'd been wondering the same thing. At least he was honest with her. "I don't know."

"Give me a reason I should stay." House growled and bucked his torso into her back, poking her with what he thought was a good reason. She rolled her eyes. "No, a good reason." His eyebrow lifted.

"Are you saying that wasn't a good reason? The way you carried on last night I thought I was THE Sex God."

"You wish," she whispered and leaned down, her skin twitching against the hair on his chest. Her hair surrounded him as she nibbled on his bottom lip. His hands travelled up and down her back, tracing her spine with the tips of his fingers. Leah shivered then smiled and began singing against his mouth, "Should I stay or should I go?" He smiled, his blue eyes shining. Biting her bottom lip she pulled away and shifted down his body, planting kisses on his right nipple. "It's always tease…" she said between kisses. "…tease…" House groaned. "…tease. You're happy when I'm on my knees."

"You have no idea." He moaned, his hands buried in her rich hair as her lips travelled further southward. Her lavender eyes shown as she swirled her tongue down his line of hair to his belly button.

"So if you want me off your back…"

"Not logistically…ohhhh…correct…" She continued kissing him, down his abdomen and, just to tease, ignoring his alert manhood as she kissed inside his left thigh.

"Well come on and let me know…" Leah had gotten down to his feet then rolled off the bed. Standing against the morning sunlight, the rays of light created a halo effect against her amazing body. House couldn't believe she looked that good at her age. "Should I stay or should I go?" With a giggle she grabbed her dress and ran out of the room. Her giggling intensified when she heard two feet land heavily on the ground then heavy hopping.

CRASH! "OH SHIT!" House yelled as he limped out of the bedroom, trying to stuff himself in a pair of wrinkled jeans, the same ones she remembered seeing lying in the corner of his bedroom. By the time he got to the living room his jeans were up but not zipped and she was standing in the middle of the room making quite the vision: her hair was completely rumpled and falling in her eyes and she was wearing his tuxedo shirt, unbuttoned and barely covering her breasts.

He swore he was going to die from lust before his drug or alcohol usage caught up to him. He never actually encountered someone who had been overcome by lust though he liked to talk about it all the time. Maybe the only person he'd ever meet was himself.

House licked his lips as he stared at her, his arousal straining to the point of painful agony. "Either get in there…" he pointed to the bedroom "…and spread your legs or I'm going to die, right here."

"Is that an order Doctor?"

He moved closer, until he grabbed the shirttails. "Yes."

Leah smiled at the raw lust in his eyes and, gently, grabbed his face. Looking at him seriously, she whispered, "I have to go."

He groaned. "Nooooo…you're staying HEEEREEE with MEEEEE."

"Whining is so unbecoming."

"So are you fully clothed..." He started to remove the shirt but Leah shook her head and stopped him.

"I'm spending the day with Jaymie, Billy and Lisa. We'll be in the hospital on Monday and you can seduce me in the sleep lab."

House's eyes lowered in defeat. "Nooooo…" His voice was truly pitiful.

Sighing she shook her head and moved closer. Grabbing his hands she locked them on her lower back, pulling him closer. Leah stood on her toes and circled his neck with her arms. Her lavender eyes watched his own blues closely then she kissed him slow, easy, thoroughly…as if memorizing them. She pulled away before he could deepen the loving kiss to sensual. It was a short while before her eyes opened and her breath slowed. "Please?"

What could he do to that? He couldn't chain her to the pipes…as much as he would've loved that. But House kept getting an uneasy feeling, as if their separation would be longer than a day. He wouldn't think about that while she was still in his arms. Sighing House nodded. "What time Monday?"

"10 a.m.?"

He nodded one more time. "Ok."

Leah herself nodded and stepped back. Looking deeply in his eyes she resolved to tell him what she probably knew she should've said a long time ago. "I love you Greg. I've always loved you."

House groaned again. What was he to do with that? He knew what he wanted to do…and they didn't need the bedroom for that…but that wasn't what she wanted.

Leah wasn't surprised when he didn't answer her; in some way she didn't even expect him to. But she needed to say her peace. Leah rubbed his chest, laid her head on his shoulder, kissed his neck and pulled away, taking her dress to the bathroom. "Will you drive me to Lisa's or should I call a cab?"

HOUSEMD…HOUSEMD…HOUSEMD

An hour later they pulled into the driveway on his motorcycle. Even after he'd shut off the engine they both remained on the bike, her arms around him. She was wearing his favorite leather motorcycle jacket that smelled so much like him it made her dizzy. With a groan she pulled away and stepped off, setting the helmet on the seat behind him. When she looked at him he'd pulled off the helmet and was watching her, waiting for what could happen next. Suddenly he grabbed her hand and pulled her to him, making no attempt for anything other than a hug. Leah sighed and whispered, "I'll see you tomorrow, right?"

But as quickly as he pulled her into the hug he let her go, grabbed his helmet, started the engine, secured her helmet and quickly pulled away, almost killing himself when he pulled in front of a minivan. She watched him fly down the street then turned to the house, where she found Cuddy watching from the front porch. Leah shook her head, pulled the leather jacket tightly around her and, with her shoes in her hand, slowly walked to the door.

Cuddy didn't need an explanation except, "Are you ok?"

Leah nodded then looked in the direction House rode off in. "I'm calling the airline. I'm going back to Wyoming."

Cuddy didn't expect that. "Bu…but what about Jaymie? What about House?"

"You take care of her, help her through this? I've got to get back to the clinic. I don't belong here. House will survive."

"No he…" Cuddy couldn't finish her statement as Leah went inside.

House was right: Leah was going to do what she did best. Run away.


	31. Chapter 30

**CHAPTER 30**

Cuddy stood there for a moment then shook her head and ran after her, catching her as she climbed the stairs. "No! You will NOT treat him like that. You spent the night with him and I know you love him."

"Lise…"

"Don't LISE me! The guy may be an arrogant, mean son-of-a-b!tch but he is my friend and my employee. He loves you and you love him. He's one of the most loyal men you will ever meet…"

Leah stopped at the top of the stairs. "What about the hookers?"

"He's all talk; I don't think he uses them as much as he claims. But that's only because he's lonely. You drive each other insane but you want to be with each other. House is different when he's with you: he's even more tortured and moody. I didn't think that was possible. But I saw how he was looking at you last night. He wants to be with you; he wants to see you every day. No matter what he says he wants a 'normal' life and he wants it with you. I'm guessing he's wanted it for 25 years." Now Cuddy was angry and decided to stick it where it hurt. After all, Leah had managed to not trust anyone around her and she wanted Leah to know the damage she'd done by not trusting. "House wouldn't be like this if you hadn't run away 25 years ago. His leg wouldn't have happened; he would be much happier. I guess this could be seen as your fault."

That made Leah halt in the hallway to the guest bedroom. She whirled and her eyes flashed with sudden anger. "My fault? Greg was like this in college. How could I have made it any better? Besides, that's not how it works. His happiness would never have depended upon me. My guess is we wouldn't have lasted six months and then he would've either drove me away or he would've dumped me for someone else and I would've been devastated. As much as I pretended not to hate him I loved him and I wouldn't have been able to handle him dumping me. He made me feel…" her mind drifted to 25 years beforehand. "…like my entire being was on fire." She looked at Cuddy. "But that's what getting involved with Dr. Gregory House is like. It's actually like licking a live spark plug. Sure, you light up inside, electricity pulses right through your body and you're set on fire. Your very nerve endings pulse and it's the most incredible feeling in the world. But in the end you're left singed, smoking and with a bad taste in your mouth. It's just not worth it."

Cuddy took a moment to digest the licking spark plug part but she figured she knew what Leah was talking about. Leah turned back around and continued walking but Cuddy wasn't through. "You're being selfish and stubborn! You leave without a word and you will kill House. And I mean it. He won't handle you leaving. My guess would be it was ugly when he never saw you again; then when Stacy left it was brutal and ugly. Now? I think he could do something bad, like kill himself. I don't want you to put him through that. He doesn't deserve it just because you're afraid. He is everything you need."

Leah shook her head as she took her suitcase and began opening drawers, filling it haphazardly. "He doesn't need me. There's nothing else for me here. I have my whole life in Wyoming and I need my clinic. I've been gone too long." She stopped and looked at Cuddy. "I'm sorry." She resumed, throwing her jeans and some t-shirts in.

"I've heard you say on a number of occasions that you love running a clinic. I've spoke to the Board and they are in favor of letting you run the clinic at PPTH. For years I've been giving them progress reports about your clinic and they loved to see what you've been doing. They want those results for this one. They want to talk to you about running the clinic here." Leah stopped packing and turned to Cuddy.

"I can't leave my clinic in Wyoming. My entire fortune, my heart, my livelihood is wrapped up in it."

"Just…do me a favor. Think about it before you run off and leave a trail of destruction behind. Not only will House hate you for leaving but so will Jaymie and Billy. She's your daughter; you can't leave her like this. She needs you now more than anything."

Leah watched Cuddy then returned to packing. "I'm sorry. I have to go."

Cuddy saw the resoluteness in her countenance and knew there was nothing more she could do or say to make her stay. She was so hoping she'd finally put what she wanted above everything else but suddenly knew it wasn't going to happen. Now she had to warn Wilson for damage control. Cuddy sighed. "Fine. I'll give you a ride to the airport. You go, take a shower and I'll call the airline. There's nothing I can do to make you stay but I won't let you go without saying goodbye myself. Is that ok?" Leah looked down at the camisole in her hand and nodded. "Good."

HOUSEMD…HOUSEMD…HOUSEMD…

"Please call me when you get home and remember what we talked about."

Leah nodded and, with her heart in her throat and tears in her eyes, she hugged Cuddy goodbye then walked through the doors. Leah was gone and Cuddy couldn't stop her.

But what about House?

HOUSEMD…HOUSEMD…HOUSEMD…


	32. Chapter 31

**CHAPTER 31**

At 10:00 the next morning, Jaymie and Billy showed up to House's department but Leah didn't. House, sitting at his desk, looked confused. After all, he'd looked forward to seeing her, so much so he had a spring in his…limp. "Where's Rogaine?"

Jaymie, frowning, shook her head. "She went home. She's not coming back."

House stiffened and narrowed his eyes. He looked at Billy who was clearly upset. "What do you mean, she went home?"

"She went home without even talking to me first. Aunt Lise was the one to tell me."

"Well, did Aunt 'Lise' tell you anything else?" Jaymie shook her head. House stood up and limped out the door, anger building with each step. While House knew there was a good chance Leah would do this, he hadn't wanted to even think it would really happen. But he knew what he had to do because House knew that he was just as much to blame for anything as she was.

He was just sick and tired of her vanishing from his life, especially now.

Kutner ran out after him. "What should we do?"

"Do the tests like you were." House stopped at the elevator and hit the button. "And if you don't find me for the rest of the day who cares? I wouldn't want to talk to you either."

HOUSEMD…HOUSEMD…HOUSEMD…

"When were you going to tell me she left?" House burst into Cuddy's office, interrupting a meeting between Cuddy and Wilson. Cuddy looked at Wilson guiltily and opened her mouth but House waved his cane. "I can see none of you were going to. Well, shit, isn't this just peachy?" He stood there, watching them. He didn't know what to feel: anger? Betrayal? Jealousy? Hunger? "When did she go?"

"After you dropped her off at my house."

His eyes widened with disbelief and anger. "She's been gone for a day and you didn't tell me?" He gripped his cane and suddenly stood resolute. Turning on his heel he limped out the door, Cuddy and Wilson not far behind. Cuddy was carrying a patient folder.

"Where are you going? What are you doing?" Wilson asked.

"I'm doing what I should've done a long time ago. I'm kidnapping Rogaine." The crowd in the lobby of the hospital stopped and gave him an odd look. House stuck his tongue at them and pressed the 'up' button on the elevator.

Cuddy shook her head. "Not before you look at this patient that came into the clinic. We're having trouble diagnosing what's wrong…"

Wilson stood behind House. "You can't kidnap her. She left. That's it."

"No it's NOT it. It won't end like this again. If it does end I'll be the one doing it." DING. He stepped on the elevator, turned and watched Cuddy and Wilson. Cuddy stepped forward to try to stop him but, as the doors closed House lifted his cane and opened them. "Aren't you going to try to stop me?"

Cuddy nodded. "I was. You've got to look at this patient."

House rolled his eyes. "I don't care about the patient. I meant about Rogaine."

Cuddy shrugged then shook her head. "For once I'm actually not going to get mad at you. I say hog tie her and bring her back. The Board's offered her a position at the hospital: they want her to run the clinic. But, before you leave, diagnose this patient."

House stepped off the elevator. "Shut up about the damned patient! Give them to Kutner. I'm busy." He paused. "Did you tell Leah about the position?"

Cuddy nodded and was a bit surprised to hear House call her friend by her given name. He never did that. "She still left, said her whole life was in Wyoming. She's devoted to that clinic. But I know she wants to be here House; she's afraid. She's afraid she'll rearrange her life to make herself available to you then you'll get tired of her." Cuddy smiled slightly. "I think you need to prove you're true to your word. Remember Jake cheated on her and none of us saw that one coming."

House watched Cuddy. He wasn't one for flowery words or promises; he hated when people used those anyway. He suddenly nodded. "Fine. I'm still kidnapping Rogaine."

"Do you want some company?" Wilson asked, if only to be around to keep an eye on him.

House looked at Wilson. "No."

"Wait!" House looked back at Cuddy. "Just see the patient. It's the niece of a benefactor and if you don't go in there…"

House growled. "Fine, but only if it means you'll leave me alone. What about the patient?"

Cuddy took his arm and dragged him to exam room 1. "She came into the clinic early, complaining of a heart problem when there's no physical evidence of heart issues. She doesn't have a history but she says she been having chest pains." Cuddy opened the door, shoved the file in his hands, pushed House through the door and slammed it closed. Cuddy smirked at Wilson then they walked back to her office.

House looked at the closed door, sighed and opened the patient chart. But it was blank. No name, no information. With a confused look he lifted his head…

…and found Leah standing there, nervously fidgeting. Her clothes were rumpled, she had bags underneath her eyes and she looked terrible. House didn't know whether to cheer, beat the living shit out of her for doing what she did or just kiss her to make sure she was really there.


	33. Chapter 32

**CHAPTER 32**

"I thought you were gone," House said when he got his voice back. He studied her, secretly happy she'd clearly put herself through the wringer for him. At least he was assuming it was for him. _It's about damned time too…_ he thought. _…I've done enough for the both of us._ "Or was Cuddy intentionally trying to piss me off?"

"I was gone but I came back."

"Jaymie-Loo had no idea. You didn't even tell your own daughter you were leaving." She shook her head and House stepped forward, never taking his eyes from her. Partly to make sure she knew he meant business; partly to make sure she wasn't going to disappear from under his nose. "This just makes you look weak and indecisive. If you were going to stay you should never have left; if you were going you should stay gone. I hate indecisive people."

She ignored him and took a step toward him. "We were halfway to Wyoming when I realized I couldn't do it. I couldn't run from you anymore. I have to face you; I have to face what I feel for you."

House wasn't falling for anything. The woman had run out on him…twice…and he wasn't setting himself up for a third time. "Why should I believe you? You could just be blowing smoke up my ss."

Leah took another step to him and pulled out a folded stack of papers from her purse. She opened them, smoothed the crease, set them on the examination table and pointed to the top. House, with an eyebrow raised, stepped forward and took a look. It was clearly a contract, one that House wasn't going to read. Next she pulled out a check and set it beside the contract. House whistled when he read the amount then looked at Leah. "What is this?"

"Greg, it's a contract. I sold my share of my clinic to my partners and here's the money." She pointed to the check. "I told Lisa this morning I'm taking the clinic job."

House's eyes widened as he picked it up, holding it to the light. The check looked authentic. "Whoa. How'd you work so fast? Yesterday was a Sunday."

"As soon as I got off the plane I called one of the partners. She'd wanted to buy the clinic for some time because I was getting burned out. Of course, it was just something we talked about and never agreed to. I have really thought about just being a doctor and not the boss. Being the boss can really suck sometimes. Of course, I was just going to sell my controlling portion of it but still stay on. When she found out I wanted to sell it outright and move to New Jersey…" She paused again and took another step forward. If House's guarded look of relief was any indication, Leah knew that he believed her. "…at first she thought I was crazy. I probably am, selling my livelihood and everything I've worked for to run a clinic in New Jersey based only on a hope. But, when she realized just how serious I was the wheels were set in motion. Of course…" Leah tilted her head. "…it certainly helps when her husband is the president of the largest bank in four states. He can issue checks on Sunday. And this contract?" She pointed to it. "My other partner's wife is a lawyer. She drew it up."

"But I thought you loved the clinic."

"I do…" She took another step forward and looked into his eyes, so close to hers, so wanting to believe everything she said. Leah saw he was relenting and was at a tipping point. Her fingers rose to his face and fingered the stubble alongside his jaw. "…but I love you more."

And he went past that tipping point. House growled and pulled her into his arms, smashing his mouth to hers and threading his hands through her hair. Passion mounted quickly and he pushed her to the table, her gasp electric when the backs of her knees hit the table. He brushed the contract and the check to the floor then climbed up on the table, pushing her deep into the table and breathing heavily against her face. She pulled her face away and breathed, "Do you love me?"

"I was going to Wyoming to kidnap you and bring you back…" He muttered, his hands pushing her shirt up and pulling it over her head. "…what do you think?"

"I don't know. You've never told me."

House certainly wasn't a romantic. Oh sure, there was that one time he left that corny note for Stacy when she returned to Princeton but House never made it a policy to express his affection in any other way than against her thigh in moments like this. But…since she HAD sold her clinic to move out here…the LEAST he could do was say the words. Who knew? Maybe it wouldn't be quite so bad…

His scruff tickled the underside of her jaw and chin line as his lips made their way to her ear, that wonderful nipping he could do to her earlobe driving her momentarily insane. He whispered, "I love you Minnie Pearl,"

Leah gasped and pressed herself up into him, her eager torso driving him insane. "And I love you Monkee Boy."

"That makes you Monkee's Pearl."


	34. MP EPILOGUE

**EPILOGUE**

**A YEAR AND A HALF LATER…**

A tiny but chubby hand topped with tiny but chubby fingers pulled on the end of Leah's hair, bringing the ringlet to its mouth. Leah smiled with love at the little one, eyes so bright and shiny like its mother's. "Hey sweet thing…are ya chewin' on my hair?" The baby gurgled and watched Leah with entranced eyes. "You'll have your own long ringlets before you know it Helen Jane," Leah giggled as the baby shuffled herself in Leah's arms. Looking up Helen Jane was making noises at the people who walked in her clinic at Princeton-Plainsboro: Wilson, Cuddy and House's staff.

"Awww…" Cuddy melted like she always did when she saw Helen Jane. Reaching over, she took the baby from Leah's arms and bounced the six-month-old in the air, making Helen Jane gurgle and writhe for more.

Leah grinned even wider just like the proud woman she was then walked to her desk in the office next door to put away her name badge. After she removed her jacket and hung it in the closet beside the door she heard her office door close then felt long, warm, strong and very familiar arms circle her waist, pulling her back to the arms' source. Leah smiled and turned her head to find House's scruff against her temple. "You've got to be the sexiest MILF I've ever met," He muttered, trailing his lips to her ear. She sighed.

"Forget MILF: I'm a GILF now."

House nodded. "A very hot one at that."

Leah rubbed his arms, looking down at her engagement and wedding rings. They'd eloped three months after she moved to Princeton.

HOUSEMD…HOUSEMD…HOUSEMD…

"_I want my share of that money." he had nodded to the contract that she kept in her bedroom, in response to her question of why they should get married. "Besides, why waste my…" finger wagging at the contract "…money by renting something when you can just move in with me?"_

"_I don't have to marry you to move in with you."_

_House shrugged. "I can't afford you running off. I have big plans with that money." House had left it at that. Leah just smiled; he was so full of shit._

HOUSEMD…HOUSEMD…HOUSEMD…

After they'd made it legal in Atlantic City, they arrived home to find Jaymie and Billy stepping out of a cab at House's…well, THEIR…apartment, their faces beaming…

HOUSEMD…HOUSEMD…HOUSEMD…

_Leah was flabbergasted to see the couple in New Jersey. After all, they'd been back to Wyoming for several months and didn't expect to see them so soon. Once Leah's excited screaming (and House's impatience) died down, Leah grabbed her adopted daughter's hand and led her to the worn leather couch, where she set her down. With a sigh she looked in Jaymie's eyes and said, "Honey, Greg and I got married." Jaymie's eyes widened with disbelief but Leah held up her hand as proof. Jaymie's eyes rounded even more when she saw the matching plain gold band around House's long, lean finger._

"_What the…?" Jaymie couldn't complete her sentence. "How the…?"_

"_Yeah, that's exactly what I said. I think he spiked my drink and married me under false pretenses." Leah said, smiling at House who crossed his eyes behind Billy's head. Leah stuck her tongue at him then looked at Jaymie. "Well? What do you think?"_

"_I think it's about time…" Billy said, looking at the older couple with relief. "…I'm just wondering why it took you so long Leah."_

"_Ok, ok, ok! Enough about me." Leah said, running her hand through her daughter's hair and pushing it over one shoulder. "What are you doing here?"_

"_We've got news that we wanted to give you in person." Jaymie looked at her mother excitedly. "We're pregnant."_

_Leah's eyes widened and she shrieked with joy, sending her new husband reeling back with fright and Billy holding his ears in pain. She grabbed Jaymie for a fierce hug. "OH MY GAAAWWD! THAT'S…WOW! I'M GONNA BE A GRANDMA!"_

_Jaymie smiled and pulled away then turned to House. "And Dr. House is gonna be a Grandpa!"_

_This got his sincere attention. "Oh no…" He shook his head and wagged his finger. "…I ain't no grandpappy."_

"_Congratulations…Granddad!" Leah's eyes twinkled as she looked at him. "Now what do you say to that?"_

"_Oy Vey…"_

HOUSEMD…HOUSEMD…HOUSEMD…

House's hand moved to the front of her trouser pants, curving her abdomen and smoothing the heat he felt with his fingers. "I'd love me some GILF right about now…"

"We can't. Our granddaughter's next door. If we don't take her from Lise soon Jaymie will never get her back."

House groaned as his fingers dipped lower, making her arch into him and throwing her head back. His groan turned to a growl when he felt her response through her panties but took the opportunity to nibble on the soft skin underneath her jawbone. She was heaving and rapidly losing her breath, while her writhing aroused him. He felt the need to push it into her lower back with a strangled grunting noise. "Aren't we too old for this?" She gasped, unable to stop the swirling in her head. House always did that; he always made the world spin around them.

Even a year and a half after she made the best (and most terrifying) decision in her life he could still make her world spin. "Hell no. We put the kids to shame."

The door burst open and a loud sigh filled the room. "Good God, are you two at it AGAIN? Come on; we're taking Helen Jane to the cafeteria. I think she likes the ladies' hairnets."

House sighed and set his forehead against the back of her thick, sweet smelling curls. He had to compose himself or Wilson would be teasing him. Yet again. It was nonstop, ever since House and Leah got married. Mostly it was 'Nanny, nanny, boo-boo. I was right, you were wrong. Nanny, nanny boo-boo.' It was getting really old. "Ok Jimmy. Just give me a moment to remove my penis from her…"

"WHOA, WHOA, WHOA!" Wilson held up his hands and, grabbing the door, backed out quickly. "I get it." He slammed the door behind him. They could even hear him shuddering outside the door.

Despite herself, Leah began giggling, which made him smirk. "That was so bad Monkee. He's gonna have nightmares about that."

"Let him. He's just jealous I have the real thing."

She turned and smiled, her eyes following his facial hair to his glorious mouth. Leah leaned forward and kissed him deeply, her tongue playing around his. She ended it before he went any farther, which only earned her a groan in return. "We gotta go."

"Aww…" House whined as she dragged him to the cafeteria.

HOUSEMD…HOUSEMD…HOUSEMD…

When the couple arrived they found Jaymie, Billy and Helen Jane sitting in the big corner booth surrounded by, well, everyone who wanted to see the adorable infant who looked exactly like her mother. Jaymie smiled when she saw her mother. "We're staying a week. Is that ok?"

"Is that ok?" Leah repeated in a rather annoyed tone. "Need you ask? You never have to ask."

"But the kid gets her own hotel room. The adults can stay at the apartment."

Leah sighed and shook her head at her husband's impertinent comment. Billy just shook his head. "We're staying at a hotel."

"Thank God."

"How are you feeling Jaymie?"

She smiled at Kutner, ever-so-glad he changed the subject. Jaymie had always liked the young doctor because he'd always been so kind to her. "I feel great."

"No, I mean about the future."

Jaymie paused. "At first it was very…difficult. I knew that I could, or could not for that matter develop kidney failure in the future. At least I know for sure it's Alport's…X-linked Alport's. I'm glad we ran the tests."

"And Jaymes…" Leah began, moving to sit by her daughter. Helen Jane too busy flirting with Taub to notice what was happening around her. "…X-linked Alport's in a female quite frequently means you may never develop kidney failure. You have very minimal kidney damage, and nobody said it would get worse. You had no complications with Helen Jane…" Leah almost cried with joy when she saw the little girl in question turn her head to her grandma, as if to say, 'You're talking about me now? Ok, I want to hear!' and held her chubby hands out to Leah who gladly took her. Helen Jane, once again, grabbed a ringlet of Leah's hair and began eating it. "…and there was no change in your kidney function after she was born. Well, I take that back. The more kids you have the more you have to go to the bathroom because you lose the ability to…"

Jaymie wrinkled her nose and held up her hand. "Ok, enough. We get it. People are trying to eat here."

Leah smiled and stroked the downy softness of the baby's dark hair. "There's no medicine you can take, so you'll have to continue to get yearly kidney tests. Your kidney function will be monitored but you'll be fine. How's the hearing?"

Jaymie shrugged. "No change. The hearing in my good ear is just fine; the tests proved that."

Leah nodded. "But pay close attention to it in the future. While hearing loss in female X-linked Alport's patients is much rarer than males, when the female does lose hearing it happens later in life. But if you notice any sudden changes in either your hearing or your vision, get it checked immediately." Leah looked down at Helen Jane, who had her head on Leah's shoulder and was watching her with half-closed eyes. She began rocking the baby, singing softly.

"Jaymie," 13 asked as she watched the baby in Leah's arms. "Where did she get her name?"

"Well…" Jaymie watched her daughter finally fall asleep, the pink bud of her mouth opening and closing slightly at her even breathing. "…my birth mother's name was Helen and Jane is Billy's mom's name." Jaymie reached over and gently took her daughter from Leah's arms who suddenly felt bereaved at the extraction. "Well, I've got to get this little one back to the hotel. We both need a nap I think." She stood up and handed the baby to her husband, who gently set his daughter in the baby carrier. Jaymie turned to Leah. "We're gonna get some sleep but we'll meet you for dinner later tonight?" Leah nodded, smiled and kissed Jaymie. Jaymie turned, smiled at her…well…what was he? Her adopted stepfather perhaps? It didn't matter as she leaned down and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. "Bye…Grandpa."

Everyone heard it and broke out in laughter, drowning out the pathetic moaning of the man in question. Soon the party disbursed, leaving only House and Leah at the corner booth. Leah watched the working of his jaw; it was clear House was working out something. "What is it?"

He turned to her but shook his head. "Nothing. It doesn't matter. So…" He leaned forward and wiggled his eyebrows. Leah gasped because she knew that look: he wanted to fool around. Why should she be surprised? He always wanted to fool around. "…Wanna play a game?"

Leah's eyebrow lifted. "A game? What kind of game?"

"A little game I like to call 'Monkee see, Monkee do'."

"And what does that mean?"

"Eating the red berries."

"What red berries did you have in mind?"

"Why don't I show you…?"

**THE END**


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